Linn-Mar’s Morgan Rupp repeats as Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet golf medalist

Linn-Mar’s Morgan Rupp has focused on a specific aspect of her golf game.

The two-time state champion and University of South Dakota signee worked on her strength last season and now has turned her attention to the mental approach.

“A big thing I’ve been thinking about this week, and last week too, is adaptability and the fact that not everything is going to go to plan,” Rupp said. “You’re going to have to make the most of what you’re given and make the most of the situation. I’ve tried to have that approach when I’m playing.”

Rupp only had to make a couple adjustments during an impressive round, firing 1-under 71 and capturing medalist honors at the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet on Monday at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls. It was her second straight outright Super Meet title, tying for first as a sophomore.

“The biggest thing for her, when you get to the point she’s at, it’s not so much physical but mental between the girls at the top level,” Linn-Mar Coach Chris James said. “They can all hit good shots. They can all make birdies and do these things but it’s really the mental game that sets you apart. I think that’s what she’s trying to tap into as much as possible. She’s gotten more reflective of her game.”

Cedar Falls claimed the team title after tying Cedar Rapids Washington and Cedar Rapids Xavier with 335. The Tigers won on criteria with the best fifth-person score. The Warriors were runner-up, edging the Saints with the better sixth-person score.

Rupp carded four birdies, shooting 1-under 35 on the back nine where she began the round. She was 3-under on the four par-5 holes.

“My driver was really good today,” Rupp said. “I was working this weekend to hit more draws and hit it more consistently.

“I felt I was hitting it pretty well. I was hitting farther than I was last year. It helped me have some good looks. On the par-5s, I had an iron in on my second shot on all of them, which was a huge advantage. It allowed me to get by or on the green in two (shots).”

Interestingly, one of her first holes of the day included one of those adaptation moments when her drive was inches from the no-mow area and altered her preferred line to the green. She was able to hit an iron at the pin from about 160-yards away and managed one of 11 pars during a consistent round.

“It was different than I expected,” Rupp said, “but not really in a bad way.”

Rupp has finished fifth or better at state every year with the Lions. She is a two-time MVC Valley Division Player of the Year and leads the MVC Mississippi individual race by five strokes, heading into the first divisional round next week. She is looking to shed the pressure of her own high expectations. The goal is to play and enjoy the round.

“I know I’m playing well, right now,” Rupp said. “I have to trust my game and not focus on winning. More playing my game. Focus more on the process and not the outcome.”

Cedar Falls and Washington share the team lead in the MVC Valley, leading Dubuque Wahlert by five. Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Kylie Wachtl shot 74 to earn runner-up medalist honors and take a lead into next week’s Valley divisional.

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“She drove the ball wonderfully, today,” Prairie Coach Erik Columbus said of Wachtl. “She drove a par-4s and had wedges into all the other par-4s.”

Xavier was led by Hayley Morris’s 76 and leads the MVC Mississippi team race by one shot over Western Dubuque.

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MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERENCE

SUPER MEET

At Cedar Falls

(Pheasant Ridge Golf Course, par-72)

Teams – 1. Cedar Falls 335*, 2. C.R. Washington 335**, 3. C.R. Xavier 335, 4. Western Dubuque 336, 5. Dubuque Wahlert 340, 6. Linn-Mar 356, 7. Iowa City West 361, 8. Waterloo West 371, 9. Dubuque Senior 373, 10. C.R. Prairie 374, 11. C.R. Kennedy 376, 12. Iowa City Liberty 378, 13. Iowa City High 439, 14. Dubuque Hempstead 444, 15. C.R. Jefferson 479

Individuals – 1. Morgan Rupp (LM), 71, 2. Kylie Wachtl (CRP), 74, 3. Molly Ratchford (CF), 75, 4. (tie) Ainsley Wilson (ICW) and Hayley Morris (CRX), 76

C.R. WASHINGTON (335): Jane Petersen 77, Lily Belle Barker 79, Shay Munson 84, Addy Brown 95, Lillian Buresh 96, Kate Newlin 97

C.R. XAVIER (335): Morris 76, Mehar Julka 78, Evelyn Bern 89, Josie Kramer 92, Lauren Saito 96, Carmen Hartgrave 104

LINN-MAR (356): Rupp 71, Clara Haker 95, Reese Roberts 95, Hannah Thierer 95

I.C. WEST (361): Wilson 76, Lily Schmid 92, Sophie Bodin 94, Gretchen Van Iddekinge 99

C.R. PRAIRIE (374): Wachtl 74, Norah Palmer 97, Kendall Palmersheim 101, Kate Walker 102

C.R. KENNEDY (376): Ellie Nurre 83, Autumn Reep 88, Brooklyn Gilchrist 100, Harper Homewood 105

I.C. LIBERTY (378): Claire Franzwa 88, Lila Bowman 91, Layla Langseth 93, Hayzel Wernimont 106, Yuzuka Fujikawa 106

CITY HIGH (439): Emory Anzelc 101, Maya Hoffman 110, Kacy Khongmaly 114, Tess Anzelc 114

C.R. JEFFERSON (479): Ava Erger 88, Rachel Johnson 105, Peyton Kinrade 120, Jenna Dodson 166

MVC MISSISSIPPI LEADERS

Teams – 1. C.R. Xavier 335, 2. Western Dubuque 336, 3. Linn-Mar 356, 4. I.C. West 361, 5. Dubuque Senior 373, 6. C.R. Kennedy 376, 7. I.C. Liberty 378

Individuals – 1. Rupp (LM), 71, 2. (tie) Wilson (ICW) and Morris (CRX), 76, 4. Julka (CRX), 78, 5. Amber Wilson (WD), 79

MVC VALLEY LEADERS

Teams – 1. Cedar Falls 335, 2. C.R. Washington 335, 3. Dubuque Wahlert 340, 4. Waterloo West 371, 5. C.R. Prairie 374, 6. City High 439, 7. Dubuque Hempstead 444, 6. C.R. Jefferson 479

Individuals – 1. Wachtl (CRP), 74, 2. Ratchford (CF), 75, 3. (tie) Petersen (CRW), Elin Mueller (DW) and Bree Stegall (WW), 77

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