Bobcat Golf Team Fourth At Oaks, Staub And Craig In Top Ten (09/08/2018)

(by CSZ Sports Writer Kenn Staub)  The KSAC boys opened their season at Clarion Oaks Golf Club in August and returned to that course on Tuesday, September 4 to mark the halfway point. This time the golfers took on not only the 3,118 yard, par 36 front nine, but also the conditions, as the heat index hovered in the low 90s. At the end of the day, the Clarion golf team finished fourth, with Bobcats Lake Staub and Josh Craig placing in the top ten.

Clarion posted a five-person team total of 243, paced by Staub’s round of 44, Craig’s 46, and Mitch Geiger’s 49. Jackson Fox’s (51) and Login Dehner’s (53) scores were the two others that counted toward the final tally. Also competing for the Bobcats was Cam Lapinto, who posted a 56.

Staub, who finished in a four way tie for fourth, said, “It was hot out there. I got a lot of roll off my tee shots, that helped. It was a little difficult getting the ball to stick on the green but I worked through it.”

Criag, the ninth place finisher, said “Today I was pretty much scrambling for par. I couldn’t get any one putts so I bogeyed a lot of the holes. It was pretty frustrating.”

Geiger’s sub-50 round earned him a tie for fifteenth. He was satisfied with his finish after an inauspicious start, saying “I started out rough on hole three (a 564-yard par five) but then I birdied eight (a short, downhill par three). On holes nine, one, and two my drives and my shots were a lot better and I ended on a pretty good round.”

Forest Area and Moniteau both posted team scores of 235 to tie for first place. Kaden Park of Clarion-Limestone (C-L) put up a 40 to take medalist honors.

With Moniteau’s tie for first and Clarion’s fourth place finish the Warriors leaped past the Bobcats to take second in the KSAC season standings. C-L remains in first, with Forest Area behind Clarion in fourth. Karns City rounds out the top five.

Discussing his team’s fourth place finish at the match (its worst of the season) and subsequent fall to third in the KSAC, Bobcat coach Jay Kerle said, “It wasn’t our best performance as a team. Lake had one of his better matches of the season, so we have that to look forward to and build off of. I’m happy with how this team has done so far this year. I have a good group of kids that are honest. I’m hoping we can pick up a few shots here in the upcoming matches and climb back up in the standings.”

At the midpoint, Craig and C-L’s Hayden Siegel have a nine-hole scoring average of 43.00, giving them both a share of the top spot in the KSAC. Staub (46.00) is positioned in eighth, with Fox (46.40) right behind in ninth. Geiger is averaging 51.80, Dehner 57.20, and Lapinto 59.00.

Clarion’s match originally scheduled for Lake Arthur Golf Club for Thursday, September 6 was postponed until later in the month. The Bobcats are next scheduled to play at Wanango Country Club (Reno) on Tuesday, September 11 and at Hi-Level Golf Course (Kossuth) on Thursday, September 13.