In just its second meet of the season, the Iola Middle School golf team is already making great strides.
The team hosted its home meet on Wednesday at Cedarbrook Golf Course and had the ability to play in the comfort zone on a course they know well.
“It is a good (experience),” Iola coach Lori Oestreicher said. “It’s nice to know the course before the tournament.
“There are a lot of parents that come out and watch them play and this is the only tournament that they really do… It means a lot to the students,” Oestreicher added.
Josh Kaufman entered the meet with a clear objective to earn a medal after he just missed out on getting one in the team’s first meet of the season in Pittsburg.
Kaufman accomplished that goal by shooting a 53 and earning an eighth-place medal.
“He has been doing really well,” Oestreicher said. “On Monday in Pittsburg, he was four strokes away from getting a medal. He stepped up his game. I’m pretty proud on his score.”
Chanute’s Cole Wheeler finished in first place in the boys’ division. He shot a 39 and finished six shots in front of second-place finisher Cooper Ratzlaff of Pittsburg.
Kole Rogers and Dillon Bycroft each posted a 58 in support of Kaufman and helped Iola finish in a tie for sixth in the 10-team field.
“Rogers and Bycroft are doing well,” Oestreicher said. “They still have some room for improvement but that is the same for everyone on our team.”
Rounding out the Iola squad were Eli Smith, Jack Adams, Keian Zimmerman and Grant Luedke with scores of 60, 66, 68 and 69 respectively.
On the girls’ side, Annika Hobbs matched Kaufman’s eighth place finish by shooting a 63.
“Annika does a good job,” Oestreicher said. “She keeps improving every day and really wants to be out there playing. I’m glad she got a medal, she deserves it.”
Parson’s Piper Sanders finished first among the girls’ golfers with a 55.
Cassidy Lowell shot a 69 to round out the scorers for Iola.
The Ponies will be back on the links next Wednesday at Coffeyville.
