Nelson, Dewell lead after first round of state golf

Central City's Christy Nelson and North Cedar's Courtney Dewell both own leads after the first round of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union state golf meets at Ankeny's Otter Creek Golf Course.

Nelson fired a 6-over-par 77 to lead the Class 1A individual competition, while Dewell's 9-over-par 80 put her one shot ahead of Dyersville Beckman's Ellie Ament in the 2A medalist race. Ament was runner-up in 2010.

Nelson, a junior, is looking for her second straight top-10 finish, placing seventh last year.

Ament's teammate Stephanie Coghlan shot 84 and was in seventh place, helping the Blazers to fourth place with 379 after the first day. Beckman is 12 shots back of leader Pleasantville. Cascade is fifth with 383. Iowa City Regina's Cat Strief was 12th with an 88 in 2A race.

In 1A, Jenna Hansen was tied for eighth with an 88. HLV is fourth, but 40 shots back of Algona Garrigan, who posted an impressive 344, leading Hinton by 29 strokes.

The 3A and 4A state meets are being held at River Valley Golf Club in Adel.

In Class 4A, Cedar Rapids Xavier's Kimmy Askelson is in a four-way tie for sixth place after Day 1. Askelson, a senior who signed to play for Drake next year, shot 84, and is looking for her second straight top-five finish after placing fourth a year ago. Iowa City West's Madison Goodfellow, who was eighth last year, was tied for 11th with 86.

Linn-Mar (406) and Xavier (408), earning its first state team berth, are in seventh and eighth, respectively. Cedar Falls leads Pleasant Valley by 14 strokes in the team race, posting a 335. 

 Defending 3A state champion Jessie Sindlinger of Charles City took command after the first round, carding a 4-under-par 68, leading Ballard's Susan Kirschenman by four strokes. Kirschenman was the runner-up to Sindlinger last year. Sindlinger, a sophomore, is the daughter of former University of Iowa football player and wrestler Mark Sindlinger.

Maquoketa's Stine Laursen, a junior foreign foreign exchange student from Denmark, was fourth with 81. South Tama's Taylor Van Dyk is tied for sixth with 84. Decorah's Molly McDonough shot 91 and sits in 12th place.