Cedar Rapids Prairie hopes to continue success with state golf berth

Cedar Rapids Prairie's girls golf team adopted 'Don't Stop Believin" by Journey as its theme song.

The Hawks have good taste in music. They also have strong golf game to go with it.

Prairie has produced its most successful season under head coach Erik Columbus and will try to contend for its first state tournament team berth at a Class 5A regional Monday at Gardner Golf Course in Marion.

Prairie will compete for one of two qualifying spots with Dubuque Senior, Pleasant Valley, Burlington, host Cedar Rapids Washington, Bettendorf, Davenport Central, North and West and Muscatine.

'We're having fun,' Columbus said. 'They are working hard. They are doing everything they need to get ready. We're pretty excited.'

The Hawks have good reason to be enthusiastic. They are 55-18 this season, winning four events. The Hawks have combined for 198.71 adjusted combine average, which improved the previous best of 206.87 of a year ago.

All but one player returned from last year. They have exceeded the expectations of Columbus.

'It's been nice to watch them all develop,' Columbus said. 'They were all pretty new to the sport as freshmen.

'We had almost everybody back. They worked hard in the offseason and that is key.'

Peyton Staab has earned second-team all-Mississippi Valley Conference divisional honors the last two seasons, averaging 90.14 over 18 holes. Lexi Poundstone, Hannah Stebral and Emma Rubsam are among the leaders, coming in under 100 with more than one round.

They share a strong bond through golf, creating balance and more success.

'They're pretty tight,' Columbus said. 'They'll contact each other and go play on their own, which a coach loves.

'It's not like we have one girls, shooting par. All six are in the mix every tournament.'

Senior is a big favorite. Pleasant Valley has about a five-stroke edge in adjusted score over Burlington and Prairie. Muscatine and Washington, on its home course, are contenders.

The Hawks believe they can vie for one of those berths. They are focused on the upcoming round instead of the journey.

'We're taking it as another tournament,' Columbus said. 'It is business as usual on Monday. We'll just keep doing what we're doing.'

Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Iowa City High, Iowa City West and Linn-Mar will travel to a regional at Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course hosted by Waterloo West. Cedar Falls, Dubuque Hempstead, Fort Dodge and Mason City round out the field.

Cedar Rapids Xavier will host a 4A regional at St. Andrews Golf Course. Clear Creek-Amana, Clinton, DeWitt Central, Fairfield, Grinnell, Keokuk, Maquoketa, Mount Pleasant, Newton, North Scott and Oskaloosa will play with the Saints.

Marion heads to a 4A regional at Gates Park Golf Course in Waterloo. Waterloo East hosts the Indians, Benton Community, Charles City, Dubuque Wahlert, Decorah, Independence, Lisbon-Mount Vernon, Washington (Iowa), Waverly-Shell Rock, Webster City and Western Dubuque.

The state tournament for all classes will be held May 30-31. The 5A meet is at Coldwater Links in Ames. Marshalltown will host the 4A meet at Elmwood Country Club and 1A at American Legion Golf Course.

The 3A tournament will be at Lake Panorama in Panora. Granger will hold the 2A meet at Jester Park Golf Course.

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