Western Dubuque sweeps Mississippi Division meet honors; Xavier’s Pranay Monga, Linn-Mar lead after 2 rounds

Western Dubuque’s performance appears to match its potential.

The Bobcats overcame a slow start to the season and have shown steady progress as they approach the final month.

“This is the team I expected us to have from the beginning of the year,” Western Dubuque Coach Ben Wilson said. “It’s nice we’re starting to put it together at the right time, right now.”

Western Dubuque produced one of its best performances, sweeping individual and team honors at the Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division boys’ golf meet Monday afternoon at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. Senior Brock Wilson claimed medalist honors with 74 and helped the Bobcats post a total of 204, topping runner-up Linn-Mar by 11.

“The kids played the course really well,” Ben Wilson said. “We had a game plan going in and they all kind of executed it.

“They found a way to make some birdies. Collectively, we did a really nice job of executing our plan today.”

The younger Wilson closed the round with two birdies and two pars in the final four holes, edging Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Pranay Monga by one stroke. He finished just two strokes ahead of two teammates, Linn-Mar’s Christian Cloyd and Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Leo Koester.

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Brock Wilson showed his resilience, rebounding from four straight holes over par.

“A lot of kids get down on themselves when they have a tough stretch but he said, ‘I know I can find some birdies on these last four holes’ and he did,” Ben Wilson said of Brock. “He was hunting for those birdies late and that’s what you want.”

The Bobcats distanced themselves with depth and balance, taking three of the top six places. In addition to Brock Wilson, Brayden Webber and Henry Gilbertson each fired 76, which tied for the third-best score of the round. Tyler Skrtich shot 78 and tied for eighth.

Brock Wilson, Webber and Skrtich are seniors, while Gilbertson is a junior. The experience certainly helps, especially in championship meets.

“They’ve been in the lineup for a long time,” Ben Wilson said. “This is what these guys should be shooting.

“They have so much potential. They’ve been so good in the lineup the last few years. It’s nice to see them all play well at the same time now.”

Linn-Mar was second in the team standings with 315 and Xavier was third with 316. The Lions maintain their division lead with a two-round total of 612, six strokes ahead of the Saints.

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After two rounds, Monga leads all individuals with a 146 total, one more than Cloyd. Brock Wilson is third at 150.

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The MVC Super Meet and two divisional rounds determine division team champions, Player of the Year and all-conference honors. The final divisional round will be held Sept. 30 at Hunters Ridge Golf Course.

Prairie’s Henry Sobaski ties for third

Cedar Rapids Prairie and Hawks sophomore Henry Sobaski had the best local showing at the MVC Valley Division meet Monday at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls.

Sobaski carded even-par 72, which tied for the second-best round. He finished two shots behind Cedar Falls medalist Drew Larimer.

The host Tigers shot 295 for the team title, while Dubuque Wahlert finished with 300.

Prairie was third with 303. Keaton Klekar and Jayson Kubik recorded 76 and 77, respectively. Tony Boelter rounded out the scoring with 78.

Iowa City High was fourth with 306. City High duo Jack Rogers and Nick Meredith tied for sixth with 74. The Little Hawks are third with 602 in the overall team standings, trailing Wahlert (596) and Cedar Falls (597).

Rogers leads the Player of the Year race with a two-round total of 142, one shot ahead of Larimer. The Valley closes divisional play Sept. 30 at Irv Warren Memorial Golf Course in Waterloo.

Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division Meet

At Iowa City

(Finkbine Golf Course, par 72)

Teams – 1. Western Dubuque 304, 2. Linn-Mar 315, 3. C.R. Xavier 316, 4. Iowa City West 318, 5. C.R. Kennedy 321, 6. Dubuque Senior 330, 7. Iowa City Liberty 336

Individuals – 1. Brock Wilson (WD), 74, 2. Pranay Monga (CRX), 75, 3. (tie) Christian Cloyd (LM), Leo Koester (CRK), Brayden Webber (WD) and Henry Gilbertson (WD), 76

LINN-MAR (315): Cloyd 76, Max Faulkner 79, Trevor Denny 79, Dylan Heater 81, Kael Smith 81, Ben Steenrod 81

C.R. XAVIER (316): Monga 75, Jacob Schmit 80, Logan Otting 80, Grant Allen 81

I.C. WEST (318): Emery Crawford 77, Isaac Wendt 78, Tate Genkinger 80, Jack MacLagan 83

C.R. KENNEDY (321): Koester 76, Brayden Brueggemeyer 78, Easton Swanson 83, Blake Paulson 84

I.C. LIBERTY (336): Brooks Anderson 79, Brady Zimmerman 82, Colton Shepard 87, Will Stoakes 88

MVC MISSISSIPPI STANDINGS

(Through two rounds)

Teams – 1. Linn-Mar 612, 2. C.R. Xavier 618, 3. Western Dubuque 624, 4. I.C. West 629, 5. (tie) C.R. Kennedy and Dubuque Senior 640, 7. I.C. Liberty 659

Individuals – 1. Monga (CRX), 146, 2. Cloyd (LM), 147, 3. Wilson (WD), 150, 4. Koester (CRK), 151, 5. Steenrod (LM), 152

Mississippi Valley Conference Valley Division Meet

At Cedar Falls

(Pheasant Ridge Golf Course, par 72)

Teams – 1. Cedar Falls 295, 2. Dubuque Wahlert 300, 3. C.R. Prairie 303, 4. Iowa City High 306, 5. Waterloo West 320, 6. Dubuque Hempstead 341, 7. C.R. Washington 343, 8. C.R. Jefferson 402

Individuals – 1. Drew Larimer (CF), 70, 2. (tie) Henry Sobaski (CRP) and Anthony Galvin (CF), 72, 4. (tie) Leyton Langan (CF) and Bock Mueller (DW), 73

C.R. PRAIRIE (303): Sobaski 72, Keaton Klekar 76, Jayson Kubik 77, Tony Boelter 78

CITY HIGH (306): Jack Rogers 74, Nick Meredith 74, Will Feagler 78, Zach Meredith 80

C.R. WASHINGTON (343): Preston Haefner 80, Holden Smith 86, Connor Brown 87, Bjorn White 90

C.R. JEFFERSON (402): Colton Fee 97, Cole Fisher 97, Dom Rulli 103, Carter Sherard 105

MVC VALLEY STANDINGS

(Through two rounds)

Teams – 1. Dubuque Wahlert 596, 2. Cedar Falls 597, 3. City High 602, 4. C.R. Prairie 614, 5. Waterloo West 637, 6. Dubuque Hempstead 680, 7. C.R. Washington 681, 8. C.R. Jefferson 808

Individuals – 1. Rogers (ICH), 142, 2. Larimer (CF), 145, 3. Gavlin (CF), 146, 4. Cal Martineau (DW), 147, 5. Jonah Oberfoell (DW), 149

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