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PEOSTA – Cedar Rapids Prairie’s fate depended on the last posted score.
The Hawks were huddled together in front of the scorecards. They had an inkling but remained uncertain.
When tournament staff stepped aside to reveal the last recorded result, they realized what they had accomplished.
“We all came together,” Prairie’s Henry Sobaski said. “We realized “Holy crap, we just pulled a miracle,’ right?”
Prairie shot 305 as a team to place third at the Class 4A boys’ golf district Monday at Thunder Hills Country Club. The Hawks earned a state team berth, joining champion Pleasant Valley and runner-up Dubuque Wahlert. Western Dubuque’s Brock Wilson was medalist with 3-under 68 and Linn-Mar’s Christian Cloyd was third with 73, advancing as individuals.
“The game plan was to play smart and safe team golf,” Prairie Coach Erik Columbus said. “Especially here, where there is a lot of trouble. It turned out well.
“We’ve played well all year. We didn’t feel like we were out-gunned by any means.”
The Hawks entered the meet ranked 21 st with five teams ranked ahead of them. They produced one of their best rounds at the right time for their first state appearance since 2021.
Columbus said he also wasn’t taken any whispers of possible scores to heart. He waited anxiously until he officially saw the Hawks edged the host Bobcats by one.
“There are so many good teams here you can never assume you’re going to have your ticket punched,” Columbus said. “It’s a strong, strong district. I knew we were in the mix, but you can never tell. It’s hard to get too optimistic, so you try to take it as it goes.”
During the round, the focused to individual play instead of team performance. Sobaski said he heard the team might not make it. He had consecutive bogeys but ended with what turned out to be a crucial birdie on No. 18.
“I was just trying to play my best golf,” Sobaski said. “I wanted to finish strong.”
Sobaski and Jayson Kubik led the way with 75 apiece. No. 5 golfer Emmet Stockdale fired 77, while Keaton Klekar rounded out the score with a 78.
The goal was to play conservative and smart team golf. They picked each other up when they could. Course management made a difference.
“Play it safe,” Stockdale said. “We did well about that.”
Stockdale finished four strokes better than his 18-hole average. He said he knew every stroke could make an impact.
“Usually when I have a good day everyone else has bad days,” Stockdale said with a laugh. “I knew I had to just keep pushing.”
After some pictures, the team considered a celebratory dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings and made back to the course. They have some work left to do.
“We have a busy week ahead of us,” Sobaski said. “We’re excited.”
Wilson has been on a tear lately and he was confident playing on his home course. He blistered his way to the lone under par round of the day and winning by three strokes over Pleasant Valley’s Andrew Tillman.
Wilson said he had a lot of 15-foot birdie putts. He made a few but also left himself in position for par when he didn’t.
“I’ve played this course 1,000 times,” Wilson said. “I knew where to miss and if I did have a bad shot it was usually where I wanted to. That’s what you need to do at every golf course. I just stayed out of trouble.”
Wilson said it was unfortunate the team didn’t qualify. He will, however, close his varsity career with a third state tournament appearance.
“It feels good to go individually,” Wilson said. “We will see what it brings … It would be nice to get top 10 but you never know. There is so much talent there.”
Cloyd will compete at state for the second straight season. He placed for 12 th last year.
Iowa City West’s Emery Crawford was the lone qualifier at the 4A district held at Ottumwa Golf and Social Club. Crawford shot even-par 72 to earn one of the individual berths for the state tournament Oct. 14-15 at Briarwood Golf Club in Ankeny.
Comments: kj.pilcher@thegazette.com
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