Cedar Rapids Xavier, Logan Otting sweep CRANDIC boys’ golf meet titles

CEDAR RAPIDS – Each course presents unique challenges.

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At Airport National, the greens and hilly terrain can cause golfers fits. Add constant wind and things get tougher.

Cedar Rapids Xavier and junior Logan Otting managed it all well.

The Saints swept team and individual honors, winning their third straight title at the CRANDIC boys’ golf meet Monday. Xavier posted 264, topping runner-up Cedar Rapids Prairie by eight. Otting fired 3-under 60 and won by five strokes.

“We’re very happy with the score today,” Saints Coach Brandon Schiltz said. “Difficult conditions and a lot of good players out there, so it was a great day.”

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Otting was a model of consistency with four birdies and 13 pars. His play was powered by his safe and confident play on the greens. He said he accepted some holes would be hard to birdie, so he tried to position the ball for easier ups-and-downs. The safe approach and solid short game worked.

“I was just happy that I was able to keep the ball in the center of the green, for the most part,” Otting said. “I was able to trust my putter. I was able to hole a couple putts on the front nine.

“This course is shorter so you’re going to be right around the greens. The chipping and putting can separate yourself. I was able to do that pretty well.”

The round opened with a birdie on the 18th hole. Otting’s best stretch came toward the end of his 29 on the front nine. He birdied three straight from No. 6 to No. 8, allowing him to relax the rest of the way.

“That was huge,” said Otting, who was runner-up after a sudden-victory playoff in this event last season. “It was great to take pressure off me the rest of the round.

“I wanted to birdie (Nos.) 7 and 8 because the wind was down on those holes. (No.) 6 was a bonus.

Otting has been a mainstay in the Saints lineup since his freshman season, earning all-Mississippi Valley Conference honors and participating in the 2023 Class 4A state tournament. He has concentrated on steadier play from hole to hole throughout a round. He demonstrated the ability to do that Monday.

“For me, it’s been eliminating the big mistakes,” Otting said. “Last year, I had a lot of good scores but I feel I had a lot of bad ones because I’d hit a ball (out of bounds) or something like that.

“This year. I’m practicing harder so I don’t do that as much, so I can hit shots repeatedly and be more consistent.”

The Saints placed three golfers in the top 11. Jacob Schmit was fourth with 66, while Jack Pauly finished in a seven-way tie for fifth. Harrison Hartke and Ben Braksiek each shot 70, tying for the team’s final scoring spot.

Schiltz said multiple factors were key to the performance. Patience, composure recovering from miscues and experience helped handle the conditions and secure their third team victory this season.

“It was tough,” Schiltz said. “I have a pretty veteran group, so that helps a lot.”

Xavier entered the season with high expectations. They won the Super Meet and Schiltz said the Saints are hitting their stride and increasing focus in practice. Divisional play and the postseason are rapidly approaching.

“We’re trending in the right direction,” Schiltz said. “We’re fine-tuning the mental game and executing.”

Prairie produced the most balanced effort. The Hawks’ Henry Sobaski, Emmett Stockdale, Connor Columbus and Connor Keenan each carded 68.

Iowa City Liberty was third with 277. Joel Bilskemper led the Lightning with 65, matching Iowa City High’s Jack Rogers for second. Bilskemper recorded four birdies for his best 18-hole score.

CRANDIC MEET

At Airport National

(Par 63)

Teams – 1. C.R. Xavier 264, 2. C.R. Prairie 272, 3. Iowa City Liberty 277, 4. Iowa City High 281, 5. Linn-Mar 283, 6. C.R. Washington 288*, 7. C.R. Kennedy 288, 8. Iowa City West 297, 9. C.R. Jefferson 349.

*-Won tiebreaker with better fifth-player score.

Individuals – 1. Logan Otting (CRX), 60, 2. (tie) Jack Rogers (ICH) and Joel Bilskemper (ICL), 65, 4. Jacob Schmit (CRX), 66, 5. (tie) Todd Barker (CRW), Kael Smith (LM), Herny Sobaski (CRP), Emmett Stockdale (CRP), Connor Columbus (CRP), Connor Keenan (CRP) and Jack Pauly (CRX), 68.

XAVIER (264): Otting 60, Schmit 66, Pauly 68, Harrison Hartke 70, Ben Braksiek 70.

PRAIRIE (272): Sobaski 68, Stockdale 68, Columbus 68, Keenan 68.

I.C. LIBERTY (277): Bilskemper 65, Brooks Anderson 70, Jones Anderson 70, Kade Baxter 72, Regan Kopecky 72,

CITY HIGH (281): Rogers 65, Will Feagler 72, Colin Riley 72, Walker Birt 72.

LINN-MAR (283): Smith 68, Trevor Denny 70, Parker Ridgeway 72, Christian Cloyd 73, Max Faulkner 73.

WASHINGTON (288 ): Barker 68, Bjorn White 73, Holden Smith 73, Cal Slessor 74, Dan Holladay 77.

KENNEDY (288): George Trovas 69, Leo Koester 72, Kael Haugen 72, Easton Swanson 75.

I.C. WEST (297): Jack MacLagan 74, Maddox Smith 74, Pierce Hribar 74, Gage Brownlee 75.

JEFFERSON (349): Cole Fisher 75, Colton Fee 87, Carter Davis 88, Maddux Armstrong 99.

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