Furnish, Linn-Mar reign at CRANDIC

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Airport National Golf Course is short.

But, Megan Furnish said, short isn't always synonymous with easy.

"People think it's easier here than it is," Furnish said after shooting a 7-over-par 72 to claim medalist honors at the CRANDIC girls' golf meet Wednesday. "When you get on the greens, you have to take your time. There are a lot of breaks and you have to read your putts."

A few missed putts separated Furnish -- a senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson -- from a score in the 60s.

She carded 11 pars and seven bogeys and captured the CRANDIC individual title for the second straight year.

"I was kind of inconsistent," she said. "Sometimes my drives weren't really good, or sometimes my putts didn't break in. But my irons were a little more consistent.

"When something doesn't go your way, you try to forget about it and work on the next shot."

Furnish, who will play next year at Missouri State University, was at her best at the end of the front nine. She parred five straight holes starting at No. 5.

M.J. Kamin of Cedar Rapids Washington was one of Furnish's playing partners, and -- as it turned out -- her closest challenger.

Down three strokes at the turn, the sophomore got caught Furnish at 6-over with three holes to play. But Kamin bogeyed each of the last three (Furnish closed with two pars and a bogey) and finished at 74.

"I really liked playing against Megan," Kamin said. "It's helpful to know she's going to be my biggest competition. I'm glad to see where I stand."

Kamin was satisfied with her long irons, but said, "My putting was kind of lacking. I wasn't getting close enough with my first putt; I was leaving a little too much for my second putt."

Ali Lindo of Cedar Rapids Kennedy was the only other sub-80 golfer. She shot 75 for third place.

Linn-Mar exhibited colossal balance and won its first CRANDIC team title since 2005.

The Lions scored 326 and remained unbeaten this spring. Iowa City High (341) was second, followed by Iowa City West (344).

"We have a lot of experience --five of our six girls are seniors -- and we're very balanced," Linn-Mar Coach Steve Kahler said. "I just told the girls that they had to be good today. They didn't have to be great. And the scores would indicate that's how it turned out."

Julie Pople led the Lions with an output of 80. C.J. Davis, Rachel Thrune and Katie Harding all shot 82.

Linn-Mar was eighth at the Class 4A state tournament last year. 

CRANDIC TOURNAMENT

At Airport National Golf Course (Par 32-33--65)

Teams -- 1. Linn-Mar 326, 2. Iowa City High 341, 3. Iowa City West 344, 4. C.R. Prairie 351, 5. C.R. Kennedy 352, 6. C.R. Xavier 360, 7. C.R. Jefferson 373, 8. C.R. Washington 389, 9. Marion 391.

Individuals -- 1. Megan Furnish (CRJ), 72; 2. M.J. Kamin (CRW), 74; 3. Ali Lindo (CRK), 75; 4. (tie) Rachel Stewart (ICH) and Julie Pople (LM), 80; 6. Olivia Ewing (ICW), 81; 7. (tie) C.J. Davis (LM), Rachel Thrune (LM) and Katie Harding (LM), 82; 10. Madyson Boardman (ICW), 83.

Linn-Mar (326) -- Pople 42-38--80, Davis 39-43--82, Thrune 39-43--82, Harding 41-41--82.

City High (341) -- Stewart 41-39--80, Jordyn Theisen 43-42--85, Emily Koepnick 44-43--87, Katherine Van der Woude 44-45--89, MacKenzie Mertens 46-43--89.

I.C. West (344) -- Ewing 38-43--81, M.Boardman 43-40--83, Tiffany Danger 43-43--86, Sarah Hellem 49-45--94.

Prairie (351) -- Emily Perrin 44-40--84, Kerstin Flugum 40-45--85, Konnor Griffith 41-47--88, Alyssa Beisker 47-47--94.

Kennedy (352) -- Lindo 35-40--75, Sadie Schultz 48-43--91, Hannah Harberts 48-45--93, Raemi Chavez 45-48--93.

Xavier (360) -- Grace Winker 43-43--86, Taylor Wertzberger 41-47--88, Morgan DeLong 45-47--92, Hailey Sojka 46-48--94, Lisa Olberding 44-50--94, Kara Zwanziger 46-48--94.

Jefferson (373) -- Furnish 35-37--72, Emily Aukes 50-46--96, Marissa Fehthafer 51-51--102, Megan Kibby 52-51--103.

Washington (389) -- Kamin 38-36--74, Kandis O'Donnell 51-51--102, Elizabeth Stanczyk 53-50--103, Sophia Ochs 53-57-110.

Marion (391) -- Ashley Reed 43-45--88, Taylor Wade 46-45--91, Heather McGuire 54-51--105, Ashley Ohl 52-55--107.