Hawks break 28-year-school mark

ANY GIVEN DAY

They all shoot very similar to each other and, on any given day, either one could win. At conference it was our No. 3 and 4 guys that shot really well. On Saturday, it was our Nos. 1 and 2 guys.”

Mike Ungerer, Central Lee golf coach

DONNELLSON –  The Central Lee boys' golf team has never shot below a 300 at home before and it’s been 28 years since they hit the 300 mark. But on Saturday, the Hawks blew that mark up, and did something fairly phenomenal.
The Hawks had five golfers shoot under 77 at Green Acres for a remarkable 292 and their sixth golfer, who is actually seventh on the Hawks' depth chart, shot an 81, just missing having the entire team at 80 or under.
Central Lee head coach Mike Ungerer said at the beginning of the season that, at any point, just about any of the top five golfers could win, or medal, at any given event this year. They’ve had four medalists with Mylan Lowenberg, Carter Jones, Caleb Jones, and Carson Morrison all medaling at events this year. Lowenberg won the SEI Super Conference title earlier this week. Carter Jones won Saturday’s event in Donnellson with a two-under par 70. Jones shot a 36 on the front and then hit three of four birdies on the second trip around on holes 1, 2, and 4. He bogeyed the 160-yard par 3 No. 5 hole and then parred out for the 70.
That was just one better than Caleb Larson. Larson shot an invitational best 3-under 33 on the first nine, but shot a 38 the last nine with a birdie on Hole 3, but then got stuck with back-to-back bogeys on holes 6 and 7 before parring the last two for the 71. Morrison shot a 37/38 for a 75 and Lowenberg carded a 39/37 for a 76 to round out the scoring golfers. Bo Herdrich shot a 77 and Carver Hayes shot an 81 for the Hawks.
Ungerer said he hasn’t had a season like this one. The 1997 team of Tony Sciumbato, Jeremy Hawk, Eric Hocker, and Bobby Anspach were the closest to this performance.
“I haven’t had a team like this,” Ungerer said. “They all shoot very similar to each other and, on any given day, either one could win. At conference it was our No. 3 and 4 guys that shot really well. On Saturday, it was our Nos. 1 and 2 guys."
He said the student-athletes have been playing a lot of golf together and actually push each other competitively.
“They’ve put in a lot of work and they played a lot of golf last summer. They all get along pretty well together, and honestly, it’s a bit of a rivalry,” he said. “They’re very competitive.”
The Hawks start post-season play Wednesday at Wapello’s Twin Lakes golf course. Ungerer said he’s hoping for a deep run.
“We’re hoping so. Our district is pretty loaded, though. Sections I think we should be okay, but the district will be tough. We could have three of the top six teams in the state there.  But we’re 10^th, so we’ll see.
District will be played at Pella.
Lowenberg, Jones, Morrison, Larson, and Herdrich are all in the top 10 in the SEI Super Conference South Division. Herdrich is the only senior on the team.
“We’re still pretty young yet, but these kids play a lot on their own and in the offseason. I’m at the course a lot, but they do it on their own,” Ungerer said. “We put in our holes every day when we can.”
Fort Madison finished 3^rd with a 329. Brady Wade shot an even-par 72, but Fort Madison couldn’t get anyone else under 80 at the event. Cole Quittem shot 40/40  for an 80. Rowan Benda came in with an 85 and Colton Boyer carded a 92 to round out the Bloodhounds' scoring golfers.
Holy Trinity Catholic got a couple 88s from Max Kruse and Luke Hellige. Blake Mohrfeld shot a 90, while Brock Scheetz and Jameson Denning each shot a 93 for a final tally of 359.