Prairie’s Tanner Wachtl overcomes illness to share MVC Mississippi golf runner-up honor

MARION — Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Tanner Wachtl produced a gutsy performance.

It came after he spilled his guts before the round.

The Hawks sophomore battled a case of what he believed to be food poisoning that was exacerbated by unseasonable heat. Wachtl felt better after tying for second in the final round of Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi divisional play Monday at Hunters Ridge Golf Course. Wachtl and Iowa City Liberty’s Ryan Schmierer shot 4-over 76, finishing five shots back of first-place Max Tjoa of divisional team champion Cedar Falls.

“I think I puked five times,” Wachtl said. “My stomach was bothering me. I’ve been playing through a wrist injury. I’ve just been going out any chance I can.”

Conference players are not eligible for all-conference honors, if they miss the MVC Super Meet or either of two divisional rounds. Wachtl wasn’t going to be denied, but it was more for the Hawks, who were second with 317.

“It was mostly to help my team,” Wachtl said. “First-team all-conference was nice but it was mostly for the team.

“I was just determined. I wanted to play.”

Prairie Coach Erik Columbus has never had a golfer overcome a situation quite like this. He asked Wachtl about sitting out, but Wachtl insisted on playing. Wachtl struggled to eat solid food and was wresting on the ground near the No. 10 hole. Columbus encouraged him to remain hydrated during the round as temperatures approached the 90s.

“He was a trooper all day,” Columbus said. “I’m impressed by his intestinal fortitude.”

Wachtl still managed to post one of the top rounds. He hit the turn at 40 and shot even-par on the back nine, carding his only birdie on the par-4 11th hole. Wachtl even closed with five straight pars.

“I was not expecting it,” Wachtl said. “My driver was good today.”

“And, he wasn’t clicking on all cylinders today,” Columbus said. “Tanner never ceases to amaze us.”

The Hawks shot 317 as a team, coming in behind Cedar Falls’ 305. Liberty was third at 318. Jace Rickertsen and Bryson Steuhm, who was playing his first 18-hole varsity meet, shot 79. Ashton Carmer added 83.

Prairie closed the three-round competition with 910 to move into second behind Cedar Falls, which took the division with 880. Columbus said this is believed to be the Hawks’ best divisional finish. They switched spots with Cedar Rapids Washington.

“It was going to be a lot to overcome Cedar Falls (so) we were gunning for second place,” Columbus said. “We’re pleased overall, too.”

Xavier wins round, Kennedy wins division

Cedar Rapids Xavier won the latest battle but it wasn’t enough to keep Cedar Rapids Kennedy from winning the war. The Saints shot 293 in the MVC Valley divisional Monday at Bunker Hill Golf Course in Dubuque. Xavier’s Charlie Allen fired 1-over 70 for medalist honors, while teammate Ryan Schmit was runner-up with 71.

The Cougars shot 303 as a team, placing second in the final Valley divisional but winning the divisional crown by 12 over the Saints. Sophomore Reid Hall carded 73 for a three-round total of 220. Hall edged older brother, Gannon Hall, by one stroke to earn Valley Division Player of the Year honors. Kennedy Coach Mike Green was MVC Valley Coach of the Year.

The Halls were joined by A.J. Corkery and Carter Vander Zee as first-team conference performers. Xavier also had four first-teams with Allen, Schmit, Quincey Johnson and Garrett Nurre.

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONFERENCE

VALLEY DIVISIONAL

At Hunters Ridge Golf Course

(Par 72)

Teams – 1. Cedar Falls 305, 2. C.R. Prairie 317, 3. Iowa City Liberty 318, 4. Dubuque Wahlert 325, 5. Western Dubuque 329, 6. C.R. Washington 332, 7. Linn-Mar 335, 8. Iowa City High 378.

Individuals – 1. Max Tjoa (CF), 71, 2. (tie) Tanner Wachtl (CRP) and Ryan Schmierer (ICL), 76, 4. (tie) Davis Stelzer (WD) and Owen Sawyer (CF), 77.

C.R. PRAIRIE (317): Wachtl 76, Jace Rickertsen 79, Bryson Steuhm 79, Ashton Carmer 83.

I.C. LIBERTY (318): Schmierer 76, Tate Brunk 78, Braden O’Connor 81, Lucas Bartachek 83.

C.R. WASHINGTON (332): Nile Petersen 79, Ben Blocklinger 80, Preston Haefner 86, Joe Giblin 87.

LINN-MAR (335): Caden Postma 79, Carter Bond 82, Alex Johnson 86, Matthew Buse 88.

CITY HIGH (378): Nicholas Meredith 86, Ethan Nace 91, Arthur Hall 100, Zachary Meredith 101.

FINAL TEAM STANDINGS

(Three-round total)

1. Cedar Falls 880, 2. C.R. Prairie 910, 3. C.R. Washington 923, 4. Dubuque Wahlert 945, 5. I.C. Liberty 949, 6. Western Dubuque 967, 7. Linn-Mar 979, 8. Iowa City High 1,173.

Individuals — 1. Tjoa (CF), 70-68-71—209; 2. Sawyer 64-70-77—211; 3. Petersen (CRW), 65-67-79—211; 4. Wachtl (CRP), 72-72-76—220, 5. Blocklinger (CRW), 71-72-80—223

Valley Divisional Golfer of the Year — Max Tjoa, Cedar Falls

MVC VALLEY DIVISIONAL

At Bunker Hill G.C.

(Par 69)

Teams — 1. C.R. Xavier 293, 2. C.R. Kennedy 303, 3. C.R. Jefferson 323, 4. Iowa CIty West 325, 5. Dubuque Senior 330, Dubuque Hempstead 334, 7. Waterloo West 343, 8. Waterloo East 365.

Individuals — 1. Charlie Allen (CRX), 70; 2. Ryan Schmit (CRX), 71; 3. (tie) Quincey Johnson (CRX) and Reid Hall (CRK), 73, 5. Gannon Hall (CRK), 76.

C.R. Xavier (293): C. Allen 70, Schmit 71, Johnson 73, Grant Allen 79

C.R. Kennedy (303): R. Hall 73, G. Hall 76, AJ Corkery 77, Brady Shea 77.

C.R. Jefferson (323): Landon Augustine 79, Logan Augustine 80, Logan Miller 81, Adam Panoch and Jacob Strain 83.

Iowa City West (325): Dillon Croco 78, Owen Larson 80, Cole Eberly 81, Landon Peoples 86.

FINAL STANDINGS

Teams — 1. C.R. Kennedy 297-292-303—892, 2. C.R. Xavier 299-312-293—904, 3. C.R. Jefferson 326-314-323—963, 4. I.C. West 322-336-325—983, 5. Dubuque Senior 339-352-330—1024, 6. Dubuque Hempstead 351-346-334—1031, 7. Waterloo West 351-365-343—1059, 8. Waterloo East 407-391-365—1163.

Individuals — 1. Reid Hall (CRK), 75-72-73—220, 2. Grant Hall (CRK), 73-72-76—221, 3. Charlie Allen 74-78-70—222, 4. Quincey Johnson (CRX), 75-76-73—224; 5. AJ Corkery (CRK), 73-77-77—227.

Valley Divisional Golfer of the Year — Reid Hall, C.R. Kennedy; Valley Divisional Coach of the Year — Mike Green, C.R. Kennedy