The high school boys’ golf postseason begins today across Iowa, and local teams will look to move one step closer to the state tournament when they compete in sectional meets. That includes a number of area teams that will take part in the Class 1A tournament at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Winfield.
The Winfield-Mount Union Wolves will begin their push to try and qualify for state in back-to-back seasons after an excellent spring where they have won seven meets and never finished worse than sixth, including taking third as a team at the Southeast Iowa Super Conference Tournament last week.
Justin Knipfer has been the low scorer this season for WMU, including a team-best round of 76 and an average score of just under 84 strokes in an 18-hole event. Fellow sophomore Cody Milks is not far behind with an 18-hole average of 84-and-a-half, while junior Nick Sparrow is averaging just under 86 strokes per 18 holes.
Senior Sinjin Brown and juniors Konner Kinneberg, Max Edwards and Grant Anderson have also each shot rounds of less than 90 and have 18-hole averages of 91 or lower for the Wolves, who are trying to get back to districts and repeat as team champions.
Another team looking to make a serious splash in the postseason are the Sigourney Savages, who will host a Class 1A sectional tournament. Sigourney racked up eight team victories this season, including a second-place finish at the South Iowa Cedar League Tournament, and now tries to win a sectional title for a second straight year.
The Savages have been paced by Solon Yates, who has been one of the area’s top individual players. The junior has not only been a meet medalist six times and finished in the top 10 in nine meets, but he has also shot five rounds that were either at or under par, leading to a cumulative adjusted average score of 39 strokes per nine holes.
Freshman Jordan Tremmel has been a breakout star for Sigourney as their second-lowest-scoring player and has an 18-hole average of 79.5, while junior Josh Wyatt and seniors Isaac Bruns and Cain Weber are also averaging scores under 90 for the Savages.
The WACO Warriors will look to two youngsters to shine at Twin Lakes, as freshman Ian Maize and sophomore Malachi Rinner both had top-20 finishes at the Super Conference Tournament and are averaging scores of 90 or better.
Sophomore Isaac Giesmann has been the low man for the Highland Huskies and will look to earn his way to districts from the sectional tournament in Winfield.
Lone Tree will head to Wapsi Oaks Country Club in Calamus for their 1A sectional meet. Despite not playing in an 18-hole tournament beyond the conference meet, the Lions has gotten a solid season from senior Jack Patterson, who has a nine-hole average score of just under 49.
Meanwhile, the Columbus Wildcats will take part in a Class 2A sectional tournament at Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club in Wapello. Junior Kason Dopler had the low average of 95 per 18 holes.