December 26, 2024

Newton girls end golf season at regionals

Cardinals finish seventh against tough 4A field

By Troy Hyde
Evie Main

Newton junior Evie Main putts during the regional tournament at American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown on Wednesday. Main was the team's second-best golfer for the round, but the Cardinals' season ended after a seventh place team finish. (Jake Ryder/Marshalltown Times-Republican)

MARSHALLTOWN — The Newton girls golf team competed in a regional tournament that featured five of the best 20 teams in Class 4A, according to 18-hole average.

Competition at the par 71 American Legion Golf Course also included two of the top five individual golfers in 4A.

The stiff field led to an ending of the Cardinals’ season on Wednesday as Newton tied for seventh in the 10-team group.

The top two teams and the top six individuals regardless of if they are on a qualifying team or not advance to next week’s state tournament.

Eva Pak

Newton junior Eva Pak led the Cardinals at the Class 4A regional golf tournament at American Legion Golf Course on Wednesday. Newton's season ended after a seventh place team finish. (Jake Ryder/Marshalltown Times-Republican)

The Cardinals’ best finisher was Eva Pak, but her 95 was not good enough to advance. Pak placed 22nd overall, and the final state-qualifying score was an 83.

Western Dubuque came into the day with the top 18-hole average in 4A, and the Bobcats ran away from their competition. They won the regional championship with a 333, while host Marshalltown was second with a 353.

Norwalk (360), Waterloo West (366) and Waukee (367) completed the top five. The Warriors came into the day with the 11th-best average in 4A, while the host Bobcats ranked 12th and Waterloo West and Waukee were 19th and 20th, respectively.

Ankeny, Iowa City West and Newton battled for sixth throughout the day. The Hawks closed strong and finished with a 391. The Trojans and Cardinals both shot 397 and the rest of the 10-team field featured Cedar Rapids Jefferson (444) and Des Moines Lincoln (486).

Evie Main had the next-best score after Pak with a 100. She finished 27th. Main nearly had an ace on the No. 18 hole before settling for birdie.

Addie Ratcliff (101) placed 30th and Addison Van Maanen (career-best 101) was 31st as the final counting scores. Kalleigh Berndt (108) and Addison Hook (109) had non-counting scores.

Marshalltown’s Natalie Henson was the meet medalist with a 76. She came into the day with the third-best average in 4A.

Western Dubuque’s McKenna Stackis has the fifth-best average and she finished as the runner-up with a 79.

Western Dubuque placed all five scoring golfers in the top 10, while Marshalltown had three in the top 12 and two in the top six.