Comet boys win home golf opener against Vikings; Williams medalist for Charles City girls

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — It was a good day to be a duck.

If not, you would likely end up soaked without initially realizing it.

The Charles City boys golf home opener against Northeast Iowa Conference rival Decorah, Monday at Cedar Ridge wasn’t plagued by rain or snow or supercell pyrotechnics that early April seems to conjure up on a whim. Instead, it was a persistent mist that dampened the comfort level.

It gave the meet a British Open feel … but with trees.

Charles City senior Drew Mitchell took momentary shelter amid the pine trees that lined Cedar Ridge’s eighth-hole fairway. Mitchell’s errant tee shot led to a double-bogey, but he made par on the following hole to conclude with a nine-hole 43 score, which tied Comet freshman Skylar Houdek for medalist honors.

With both teams sending 12 golfers out, the top four from each team made up the varsity final score with two latter four scores compiling the jayvee final.

With Mitchell and Houdek’s 43s, Nate Lasher’s 44 and (take your pick) Jackson Molstead and Carter Johanningmeier each scoring 45s, the Comets’ combined score of 175 placed them well ahead of the Vikings (192), who were led by Jared Holthaus’s 46.

With a 46 from Jackson Friedrich, and a pair of 49s from Noah Schlader and Colton Slinger, the Comets won the jayvee match, 189-215.

“It wasn’t a great night for golf in northern Iowa,” Charles City coach Dave Williams said, “but our scores are much lower at this time of the year than they were last year.”

Charles City’s best 9-hole team score last year was 167, which they matched last week in an away season opener against Waukon.

As for Charles City’s girls team … it improved 26 strokes from its season-opener last weekend with a combined score of 228 in an away meet Monday against Decorah at Silvercrest Country Club.

Returning all-conference junior Emma Williams shot a medalist score of 49, and freshman Marissa Daniels carded a 56 to lead the Comets.

Decorah, led by Ann Merrick’s 50, won the meet with a team score of 206.

“(We) much improved from the first meet and we will continue to improve,” Charles City girls coach Eric Johanningmeier said. “Best thing is that all the girls smiled at the end of the cold misty night, and were focused on getting better.”

Boys Golf

At Cedar Ridge Golf Course

Front 9 (Par 36)

CHARLES CITY (175)

Drew Mitchell 43, Skylar Houdek 43, Nate Lasher 44, Carter Johanningmeier/Jackson Molstead 45.

DECORAH (192)

Jared Holthaus 46, Garrett Bohr 48, Max Sparrow 48, Nick Woosley 50.

Junior Varsity

CHARLES CITY (189)

Carter Johanningmeier/Jackson Molstead 45, Jackson Friedrich 46, Colton Slinger 49, Noah Schlader 49.

DECORAH (215)

Justin Bullerman 52, Everett Wegge 52, Nate Darling 56, Jay Fjeistul 55.

Girls Golf

At Silvercrest Country Club

DECORAH (206)

Ann Merrick 50, Augusta Casterton 51, Marissa Weis 51, Mariah Lea 54.

CHARLES CITY (228)

Emma Williams 49, Marissa Daniels 56, Tauna Mayhorn 60, Abby Milligan 61.