The Iola Mustangs golf team created a strong foundation to build from while making their 2026 debut Tuesday at the Pittsburg Invitational at the Crestwood Country Club.
Returning state sixth-place finisher Brennen Coffield opened his senior season with a sixth-place finish and Iola’s only top 10 placer.
Iola coach Jeremy Sellman said Tuesday’s action bodes well as the season rolls forward.
“Rusty. We were a little rusty,” Sellman said. “Brennen started off pretty well against the strong wind, but there were a few mental mistakes here and there. I was pretty impressed with everybody’s play being it was our first varsity tournament. We went down there with lower expectations, but the kids played well.”
Coffield was nine over par while shooting an 81, six strokes off tournament champion Ethan Small of Independence. Coffield shot an 80 when he played the same tournament last year, where he took third place.
Senior Baron Folk finished 32nd in his debut, carding a 96 for 24 over par. Isaiah Geisler hit a 98 for 36th place and Ean De La Torre took 47th after carding a 111.
“It was just a couple bad holes, a few miscues here and there,” Sellman said. “Overall, I’m pretty impressed with them for their first full 18-hole course of the season. And with Pittsburg being the first one that’s always a tough sled to pull.”
Iola had planned to debut at the April 2 Independence Invitational. When the event was rained out, Sellman said he added Tuesday’s Osawatomie Invitational to the schedule.
