Friends first, then foes

CEDAR RAPIDS - Megan Furnish and Kimmy Askelson both consider the other more friend than foe.

The two have played golf with and against each other dating back to middle school, so it isn't new when they compete for top honors at area prep golf meets.

"I'll win one. She'll win one," Askelson said. "It's back and forth, but it's good when I see her come in with a good score."

All of that happened during the Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division meet Monday at Twin Pines Golf Course. Furnish came in tying for low round with 76, winning the second leg of divisional competition, and Askelson held on for the best two-round score with 155 and Athlete of the Year honors.

Golf tends to foster more camaraderie among competitors. It's true when Furnish, a junior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson, and Askelson, a Cedar Rapids Xavier senior, take to the course in meets.

“I love it,” Furnish said. “It gives you a sense of competition, but also being able to talk as friends is a good thing.

“I think we get along when we play together and I look forward to it.”

The pair grasped two of the top three spots Monday and in the two-round divisional competition. Dubuque Hempstead's Megan Miehe matched Furnish with a 76, which was two shots better than Askelson. Miehe was second overall, two shots back of Askelson and only one ahead of Furnish, who placed third after claiming MVC divisional Athlete of the Year honors as a sophomore.

They are used to seeing each other near the top.

“It's great,” Askelson said. “We're pretty much at the same level for golf.”

Furnish was a little more solid on the back nine after both posted 37 on the front. Furnish overcame a slow start, opening with a double bogey. She gained a little momentum right before the turn, leading her to a 39 on the back.

“I birdied two of the last three holes,” Furnish said about the front nine. “That was a big booster going into the turn.”

Furnish??? was determined to rebound after an 82 in the MVC Super Meet at Brown Deer Golf Club in Coralville, which counts for half of the divisional standings. She left a few shots on the course, including a couple late putts, but still produced a strong round after putting herself in good position throughout.

?“My putting struggled,” Furnish said. “I gave myself some chances. Unfortunately, they weren't falling but I played pretty solid.”

Jefferson Coach Dan Ray said Furnish has high expectations for her performance and last week's performance didn't meet her lofty goals.

"I think she did an excellent job bouncing back," Ray said. "She played well today."

Askelson birdied the 307-yard, par-4 No. 9, as did Furnish, but found it tough to get going after a rain delay that last between 30 to 45 minutes. She said she scrambled to make up-and-downs. She will take the top finish.

?“I'm happy about it,” Askelson said. “I played a really good round at Brown Deer. That course is tougher. I played decent here. I left a lot of shots out there. Altogether it was pretty consistent.”

Askelson helped the Saints to a runner-up finish. Xavier scored 365 for a total of 744. Freshmen Maddie Bertsch and Grace Winker, shot 96 and 94 Monday, for overall totals of 193 and 195, respectively.

Top-ranked Cedar Falls waltzed away with the MVC Valley Division team crown, carding a team score of 324-331-655. The Tigers won by 89 strokes, placing four golfers in the top seven overall.

Iowa City West was third with 759.

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