Mounder golfers struggle at Glenwood City, shoot under 200 in Mondovi

By Cara L. Dempski

The Elk Mound golf team struggled a bit when it returned to the links at Glen Hills Golf Course on April 18 following the Easter break. The squad finished fifth in the six-team Dunn-St. Croix meet with a score of 210; three more strokes than it had put up in its previous meet in Spring Valley.

But the Mounders turned things around a few days later when they traveled to Mondovi for a  rescheduled conference meet held April 20 at the Valley Golf Course.

The team in orange and black scored under 200 strokes at Mondovi, as it shaved off 16 strokes from its meet in Glenwood City to place fourth with a score of 194.

Elk Mound played a round at the Whitetail April 24, and then will take a week off before going to Durand next Monday, May 1. The Mounders are scheduled to take another trip to Spring Valley on May 4.

Glenwood City

Elk Mound coach Brandon Powell said the Mounders had the opportunity to shoot better at Glenwood City Tuesday, April 18, and saw too many wasted shots.

“We have gotten pretty good at the physical side of the game, but we have to understand the mental part better,” Powell stated.

Still, the Mounder coach said the early improvement he has seen from his team is very encouraging.

Jameson Rubenzer led the Mounders with 46 shots over a tough nine-hole course. The senior played either a bogey or double-bogey on each hole. Max Marquardt and Nathaniel Schrieber tied at 54 strokes, with Marquardt making par on the four-shot first.

Colton Ward and Dillon McLaughlin rounded out the varsity team with a tie at 56 strokes.

Spring Valley copped the team win with a total count of 189 as Tyler Leach took medalist honor for the Cardinals with a 36.

TEAM RESULTS:  1. Spring Valley 189, 2. Mondovi 195, 3. Glenwood City 198, 3. Durand 198, 5. Elk Mound 210, 6. Colfax 242.

Mondovi

Coach Brandon Powell is no longer the only one who thinks he has some talented players on his golf team, the players themselves are starting to believe too.

He expressed pride in how the team is realizing its potential.

“The exciting thing about last night was that the kids golfed great,” Powell stated. “But the first thing expressed to me was how much better they could have golfed. They are starting to realize how good they can be.”

The Mounders sank down below 200 at Mondovi last Thursday, April 20 when they scored a team total 194 strokes to take fourth place.

In a game where the players always want to go lower, the Mounders used to not believe they could get into the 190s. Now, Powell said the team is aiming to get down into the 180s.

Jameson Rubenzer again led the team with his 45-stroke effort over the nine-hole course. He swung for par-four first, fifth and sixth. Nathaniel Schrieber and Colton Ward tied at 49 strokes each with Schrieber going par on the fifth and staying within a stroke or two on the remaining holes, and Ward sinking his ball in three on the par-three second.

Dillon McLaughlin took 51 shots to complete his round, but birdied on the sixth when he played the par-four hole in three strokes. Maxwell Marquardt stayed between one and four shots over par on each hole, but still stayed below 60 with a final score of 56.

Spring Valley and Tyler Leach once again led the team and individual standings. The Cardinals beat runner-up Durand by six strokes while Leach edged out Durand’s TJ Tulip by three strokes to win medalist honors with a score of 35.

TEAM RESULTS: 1. Spring Valley 164, 2. Durand 170, 3. Mondovi 186, 4. Elk Mound 194, 5. Glenwood City 198, 6. Colfax 248.