North Mahaska played 27 holes of golf over two days to get a busy week started. The Warhawks travelled to Sigourney on Monday for a dual then shot their first 18-hole round at Oskaloosa Tuesday. They will close out the week at Belle Plaine Thursday.
North Mahaska played at Sigourney Country Club and lost to the hosts 170-185. Nash Smith tied with Sigourney’s Solon Yates for the runnerup medal with a 42 and won 4-hole playoff. Clay Morse of Sigourney was medalist with a 41.
Despite the loss coach Eric Stout saw improvement.
“Nash tied for runner up and they had a sudden death playoff finally losing in the fourth playoff hole,” said Stout. “Jack Kelderman had his best round of the year with a 48. He has come a long way since the beginning of the year. Very proud of him.”
Sigourney had four of the top five scores to easily win the dual. Behind Morse and Yates were Isaac Bruns and Brock Alderson with a 43 and 44.
Jaxon Van Der Veer finished sixth with a 44, Kelderman had a 48, and Brock Walkup carded a 50. Nolan Andersen and Trace Goemaat shot a 51 and 53.
Stout said the team is close to being a strong team despite being young in experience.
Nash Smith takes a chip shot for North Mahaska during the Oskaloosa Invitational Tuesday. The senior won a four-hole playoff Monday at Sigourney and fired an 89 to lead the Warhawks in two meets this week.
“We are just missing that spark to get us going as a team,” said Stout. “For a team that only has two guys that have ever played varsity golf before this year we have made huge improvements even though our scores aren’t reflecting it yet.”
In junior varsity action, Ben Johannes, playing in his second meet of the season, shot a 56. Cole Garman shot a 59 and Jeremiah Ashman had a 70.
Tuesday, Sigourney and Oskaloosa represented Class 1A in a 15-team meet at Edmundson Golf Course in Oskaloosa. The field was loaded with Class 3A and 4A and three 2A teams. Class 4A Norwalk won the meet with a 287 and 3A Washington was second with a 306 and 2A’s Pella Christian was third with a 314. Sigourney was 10th overall with a 353 and North Mahaska carded a 380.
Cael Smallwood of Norwalk was the class of the field firing a 4-under par 66. Washington’s Roman Roth shot a 1-over par 71 for runnerup.
Smith once again led the Warhawks in their first 18-hole foray of the season. The senior fired an 89. Van Der Veer carded a
92, Walkup 93 and Andersen had a 106. Sophomore Kelderman shot 115 and senior Goemaat finished with a 120.
The meet was in preparation for the South Iowa Cedar League meet on May 8 at Oskaloosa Golf and sectional at Prairie Knolls on Wednesday, May 10.