Greens and more gold: Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Reid Hall captures Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet title

PEOSTA — Reid Hall picked up where he left off last fall.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s defending Class 4A state champion continued his winning ways to open his senior campaign.

Hall fired a 2-under 69 to capture medalist honors at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet on Thursday at Thunder Hills Country Club. He topped Iowa City High’s runner-up medalist Jack Rogers by one shot. Dubuque Wahlert won the team title by one stroke over Cedar Rapids Xavier.

“I played pretty good,” Hall said. “I made a lot of putts and some long birdie putts. I made some par saves.

“I didn’t hit the ball great, but my putter and short game saved me today.”

Hall carded 2-under 34 on the front nine and followed with even par on the back. He tallied four birdies, splitting them between each half.

This wasn’t just a good start to the high school season. The showing was an extension of his summer work and recent performances, including a Rotary Pribyl title and strong finishes at the Iowa Amateur and National High School invitational.

“I’m excited about the start and getting a win early, getting the pressure off my chest and building off these rounds for the regular season and postseason,” Hall said. “I’ve been playing great the last month, so it feels good to keep going.”

Hall was impressive on the par-5 holes. He recorded three of his birdies, shooting the 3-under on those holes.

“I just got them (tee shots) in the fairway and had about 220 (yards) into most of them,” Hall said. “Just getting them close around the green, having a few on and two-putted for birdie. Some were chip-ons and then a putt.”

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Rogers, a sophomore, matched Hall’s 34 on the front. He highlighted his 1-under round with an eagle on the 534-yard No. 2 hole and added a birdie on the No. 9. Rogers was steady the entire round, posting 14 pars. Iowa City Liberty’s Vaughn Tyler finished third with an even-par 71.

Wahlert had three in the top 11 with all four scorers shooting 77 or better. Ben Dolter and Jonah Oberfoell tied Cedar Rapids Washington’s Preston Haefner with 74 to round out the top six.

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Xavier was close on the heels of the Golden Eagles, who are also in the Mississippi Division. Five Saints shot 77 or better. They were led by freshman Logan Otting, who placed fourth with 72.

Xavier has reached the state meet in five of the last six seasons, including a sixth-place finish last season. The Saints have experience and balance that came into play Thursday. Quincey Johnson shot 75, while Garrett Nurre, Grant Allen and Jacob Schmit filled the final two slots with 77 apiece.

The Super Meet serves as the first of three rounds to determine divisional team champions and all-conference performers. The Mississippi Division will play the second round at the Dubuque Golf and Country Club, while the Valley will compete at Irv Warren Memorial in Waterloo. The final round for both divisions will be Sept. 25.

Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet boys’ golf results

At Peosta

(Thunder Hills Country Club, par 71)

Teams – 1. Dubuque Wahlert 300, 2. C.R. Xavier 301, 3. Iowa City Liberty 310*, 4. Iowa City High 310, 5. C.R. Kennedy 313, 6. C.R. Prairie 315*, 7. Linn-Mar 315, 8. Cedar Falls 316, 9. Western Dubuque 318, 10. Dubuque Senior 325, 11. C.R. Washington 338, 12. Iowa City West 340, 13. Waterloo West 349, 14. Dubuque Hempstead 379, 15. C.R. Jefferson 427.

Individuals – 1. Reid Hall (CRK), 69, 2. Jack Rogers (ICH), 70, 3. Vaughn Tyler (ICL), 71, 4. Logan Otting (CRX), 72, 5. (tie) Preston Haefner (CRW), Ben Dolter (DW) and Jonah Oberfoell (DW), 74.

*-Won tiebreaker with best fifth-player score.

C.R. XAVIER (301): ]Otting 72, Quincey Johnson 75, Garrett Nurre 77, Grant Allen 77, Jacob Schmit 77

I.C. LIBERTY (310): Tyler 71, J.J. Grimm 78, Will Stoakes 79, Ryan Schmierer 82, Landon Peoples 83

CITY HIGH (310): Rogers 70, Jake Mitchell 77, Ethan Nace 80, Drake Obermueller 83, Nick Meredith 90

C.R. KENNEDY (313): Hall 69, Leo Koester 75, Nolan Grawe 82, Alton Ozarowicz 87

C.R. PRAIRIE (315): Tanner Wachtl 77, Henry Sobaski 79, C.J. Keenen 79, Jayson Kubik 80, Emmett Stockdale 83

LINN-MAR (315): Christian Cloyd 75, Max Faulkner 77, Ben Steenrod 81, Parker Ridgeway 82, Cameron Potter 86

C.R. WASHINGTON (338): Haefner 74, Connor Brown 86, Robbie Andersen 88, Bjorn White 90

I.C. WEST (340): Cole Collier 83, Jack MacLagan 83, Dillon Croco 85, Emery Crawford 89

C.R. JEFFERSON (427): Ben Goudy 91, Caden Wilson 110, Aiden Mitts 111, Parker Chyma 115