CHANUTE — Iola High’s golf team is primed and ready for the postseason.
The Mustangs handily trumped the rest of the field in taking first place at the Chanute Invitational.
The tournament started Monday, but was postponed after the first two holes due to rain. Action resumed Thursday.
“We came in loose and relaxed,” said IHS head coach Doug Kerr. “We just went out there and had fun.”
In winning, Iola placed the top two individual scores — by Kaden Macha and Shane Walden, respectively — and four of the top 10.
A chip-in eagle from the fairway early in his round propelled Macha to his one-over par 72.
“Kaden does what Kaden does — avoid mistakes,” Kerr said.
Macha’s score was five strokes better than Walden’s. Meanwhile, Matt Jacobs placed eighth with an 83. Drake Dieker also shot an 83, but was relegated to 10th, due to tie-breakers.
The foursome combined to shoot a 315, 21 strokes clear of runner-up Labette County’s 336.
Adam Peterson added a round of 93 to finish 24th.
Iola heads to Emporia Monday for the Class 4A Regional Tournament with hopes of earning its third consecutive trip to the state tournament.
Regionals begin at 8:30 a.m. Jacobs is the first of the Iola golfers to tee off, at 8:40. The rest of the team begins in 10-minute intervals after that.
The top two teams, plus the top golfers outside of those squads, advance to the Class 4A State Tournament May 27 at Firekeeper Golf Course in Mayetta, just north of Topeka.
Mustang golfers dominate in Chanute
