Comet girls place 4th at golf regionals

By John Burbridge

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

WAVERLY — If they’re going to put water and sand on a golf course, you’d might as well use them.

At least that’s what Charles City junior Gen Wandro did Monday during the Class 4A Regional at Waverly Municipal Golf Course. And she sampled both hazards on the same hole.

“I was doing well on the back nine, but then I got to 17,” Wandro said. “That was a tough one. I put it in the water, then after I dropped, I put it into the trap.”

Despite carding a nine on that hole, Wandro shot her best 18-hole score of her high school career (96), helping the Comets reach an 18-hole season low (385) amid a pleasant yet windy day.

Still, it wasn’t low enough for Charles City to advance to Class 4A State Tournament to be held May 31-June 1 at Coldwater Links in Ames. Placing fourth, the Comets were well shy of Dubuque Wahlert (347) and Western Dubuque (366), the qualifying top two teams.

Third-place Vinton-Shellsburg finished one-stroke shy of matching Western Dubuque for the second slot, yet two of its golfers — Lauren Tandy and Rachel Tandy — qualified as individuals with respective second- (82) and third-place (84) golf scores.

Other individual qualifiers included medalist Charlotte Flynn (80) of Dubuque Wahlert, fourth-place finisher Lauren Prier (85) of Western Dubuque and fifth-place finisher Natalie Rapp (86) of Dubuque Wahlert.

Charles City senior Jamie Sindlinger did not qualify for state for the third time as her team-leading 93 didn’t get her in the top five. She qualified as an individual last year, and with the state runner-up Comet team in 2014.

Charles City sophomore Emma Williams had a 96. Senior Taylor Hoffman and junior Abby Milligan both scored 100, and junior Mija Cotton carded a 110 for the Comets.

“I think we can improve a lot by next year,” Wandro said. “I know I’ve improved a lot from the start of this year.”

For Hoffman, Monday marked the end of her high school athletic career.

“I’m not going to play sports in college,” said Hoffman, who will attend the University of Northern Illinois. “I guess it’s sad to see this day finally come.

“I’m glad it ended like it did. It says a lot about this team taking fourth at a competitive regional like this.”

With Hoffman and Sindlinger graduating, the Comets are due to bring back four from their regional lineup.

“All these girls have improved very much since they were freshmen,” Charles City girls golf head coach Eric Johanningmeier said. “Now it comes to how bad you want to improve from your junior year to your senior year.

“I’ve always said it’s up to the individual when it comes to putting in the hard work during the offseason.”

Two weeks earlier at WMGC, the Comets placed second at the Northeast Iowa Conference Tournament.

“In competition, you always got to think that you have a chance,” Johanningmeier said when asked if he thought his team had a chance advancing to state with another second-place at Waverly. “We knew going in that this was going to be a tough regional, but anything could happen.”

Class 4A Regional

At Waverly Municipal Golf Course

May 23

DUBUQUE WAHLERT (347) — Natalie Rapp 86, Charlotte Flynn 80, Elyse Kalb 92, Maeve Breslin 102, Grace Lange 96, Mary Edwards 89.

WESTERN DUBUQUE (366) — Quinn Herbst 88, Lauren Prier 85, Blair Burds 88, Emilie Vaske 105, Paige Besler 112, Kiara Kronlage 121.

VINTON-SHELLSBURG (367) — Lauren Tandy 82, Olivia Walker 104, Rachel Tandy 84, Brandi Gerber 100, Olivia Ketchen 108, Halie Engler 101.

CHARLES CITY (385) — Jamie Sindlinger 93, Emma Williams 96, Gen Wandro 96, Mija Cotton 110, Taylor Hoffman 100, Abby Milligan 100.

DECORAH (390) — Melanie Gossman 95, Augusta Casterton 97, Ashley Gulrud 98, Alexa Lensing 100, Chloe Gossling 108, Marissa Weis 106.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK (400) — Isabelle Seehusen 94, Emma Prescott 102, Emma Robson 102, Anna Kayser 102, Shelby Johnson 105, Ranae Kane 141.

ALGONA (406) — Hanna Lovstad 107, Camryn Shaw 102, Sienna Wolf 101, Abbey Thul 99, Megan Krieps 111, Hallie Lovstad 104.

INDEPENDENCE (413) — Alyssa Jensen 101, Kelsey Gruber 102, Emma Meador 95, Kirstie Martin 115, Grace Bertelli 123, Brynn Martin 125.

WATERLOO EAST (432) — Ashley Cary 100, Kahlan Curry 105, Riley Denton 111, Katie Koester 116, Ashlee Snapp 120, Kelsi Peters 118.

WEBSTER CITY (459) — Hayley Koeppen 117, Taylor Elliott 105, Keni Gels 117, Brianna Westendorf 120, Maddie Cassady 121.

WEST DELAWARE (466) — Mariah Kleitsch 95, Ashley Goebel 123, Anna Thole 131, Rachel Haight 129, Hanna Marbach 119, Kinsey Gudenkauf 129.