Hot stretch propels Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Reid Hall to medalist honors at Warrior Invitational

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Reid Hall admitted that he peeked.

He peeked at his card to absorb the hot stretch that propelled him to the top of the leaderboard that he was also keeping tabs on between holes. Once he was on the next tee, his attention was locked in on his next shot.

“I was looking back the whole time,” Hall said. “I just tried to keep making birdies and hit it in the fairway. Put myself in good position.

“I was in the zone during that stretch.”

Hall fired an even-par 72 thanks to five birdies in a six-hole span that helped him earn medalist honors at Cedar Rapids Washington’s Warrior Invitational on Thursday at Cedar Rapids Country Club. The Cougars sophomore topped Cedar Falls’ Max Tjoa by two strokes. Cedar Falls won the team title with 304, three better than West Des Moines Dowling and Kennedy.

Kennedy ended up third because of the tiebreaker of best fifth-player score in a field that contained the top programs in Class 4A.

“This was a very good measuring stick,” Kennedy Coach Mike Green said. “Basically, there are four, five and six teams here that have a chance to win state. Moving forward, I like how we’re playing right now.”

Hall reached the turn at 2-over with birdies on Nos. 2 and 6. He heated up with two straight birdies and answered a bogey on No. 12 with three straight birdies. His drives and approach shots fueled his game.

“I was hitting it pretty hard,” Hall said. “My wedges came to play. I was inside 10 feet for pretty much every putt I had and I was rolling it well.”

On the par-5 16th hole, Hall drained about a 35-foot putt for birdie, dropping it in the left side of the cup after a left-to-right swooping break.

“I was just trying to get it close,” said Hall, noting that he was motivated by seeing the other scores including when he took the lead with three holes left. “I just aimed it pretty high. As it kept getting closer, I knew it was going to go in.”

Green was impressed with the putt. He said it was indicative of Hall’s overall round.

“It was one of those days where he was seeing things and lines well,” Green said. “He putted really well.”

Gannon Hall shot 75, tying for fifth for the Cougars. Gannon capped his round with his third birdie. He placed his approach about 6 feet below the hole and sunk it. A.J. Corkery scored 79 and Brody Gilkison added 81.

“We’ve been playing really good,” Reid Hall said. “We have guys stepping up this year. A.J. is doing good. Gannon has really been consistent.”

Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Payton Burns carded a 75 as well, helping the Hawks to eighth in the 18-team field.

WARRIOR INVITATIONAL

(Cedar Rapids C.C., Par 72)

Teams — 1. Cedar Falls 304, t2. W.D.M. Dowling 307, t2. C.R. Kennedy 307, 4. Johnston 313, 5. Marshalltown 315, 6. Pleasant Valley 319, 7. Indianola 320, 8. C.R. Prairie 322, 9. Waukee 326, 10. Dubuque Wahlert 327, 11. Washington 333, 12. Linn-Mar 335, 13. C.R. Xavier 337, 14. D.M. Valley 341, 15. North Scott 342, 16. Bettendorf 358, 17. Muscatine 361, 18. Ottumwa 366.

Individuals — 1. Reid Hall (C.R. Kennedy), 72; 2. Max Tjoa (Cedar Falls), 73; t3. Owen Sawyer (Cedar Falls), 74; t3. Calen Bishop (Johnston), 74; t5. Gannon Hall (C.R. Kennedy), 75; t5. Will Coohey, (Wahlert),75; t5. Luke McFarling, (W.D.M. Dowling), 75; t5. Cale Leonard, (Ottumwa), 75; t5. Sam Johnson, (Pleasant Valley), 75; t5. Peyton Burns (C.R. Prairie), 75.

C.R. Kennedy (307) — Reid Hall 72, Gannon Hall 75, AJ Corkery 79, Brody Gilkison 81.

C.R. Prairie (322) — Peyton Burns 75, Tanner Wachtl 76, Ashton Carmer 83, Nick Schaff 88.

C.R. Washington (333) — Nile Peterson 80, Ben Blocklinger 81, Nathan McDermott 85, Luke Toms 87.

Linn-Mar (335) — Caden Postma 80, Matt Buse 82, Shrey Kapoor 85, Carter Bond 88.

Xavier (337) — Ryan Schmit 80, Charlie Allen 85, Quincy Johnson 85, Grant Allen 87.