Mid-Prairie 7th at RVC girls golf meet

MUSCATINE — Six golfers make up a high school team but only the top four scores are counted toward the team total. Mid-Prairie’s top four scores left it tied with Tipton. Tiebreaker is the better fifth score of the two teams.

Wednesday at the River Valley Conference meet, that was Elliot Debler, whose 130 meant the Golden Hawks were seventh place in the 14-team league, a top half finish for a young team.

“I did help the team in some way, but it wasn’t the best,” Debler said, wishing she had posted a lower score. “We are young and haven’t had a lot of experience, so we did a lot better than we thought we were going to.”

Madi Davidson had the low Mid-Prairie score at 111, obliterating her goal of 120 noting her iron play was the high point.

“I just wanted to hit the ball well, and I was pretty consistent,” Davidson said. “It was a good day.”

The Golden Hawks did not set any predetermined marks to hit but if they had, “I think we would’ve passed them,” Davidson said.

Head coach Tracy McArtor didn’t set goals because he just wanted the team to get the experience of a big meet. The no-pressure approach seemed to work.

“I just wanted to let the chips fall where they may and if there was a goal, it was to not finish last. The success with the young group that we have, this was unbelievable. I was ecstatic. There’s always somebody there to step up, and we saw that.”

Davidson put it all together with the help of a recent lesson. Madelyn Bender, who has been steady all year, was a stroke behind at 112.

“It seems like we can always count on Alexa to shoot a mid 50s,” McArtor said. She shot a 115 total with a 56 and a 59.

Gabi Robertson was the fourth score at 120. Claire Zirkelbach shot a 133.

“This was a great confidence builder,” McArtor said. “For a team of freshman this should show them they can compete with just about anybody going forward.”

Bender is a junior, Huber a sophomore and the rest are freshmen.

Debler’s best shot was a chip on 16 that was close to the hole. “My goal next year is to not shoot in the 60s because that’s where I shoot a lot.”

The Hawks golfed at Kalona Tuesday and lost to West Branch but beat West Liberty, 211-220-258, shooting the season low for nine holes in the process.

Robertson led the way with her personal best score of 52, Huber 54, Bender 55 with Debler and Davidson at 59.

Mid-Prairie plays Thursday at Blue Top for a makeup meet with Highland and Lone Tree.