Concordia Golf Shows Potential in First Matches of Season: Recap
By Jonah Lange
Concordia’s golf teams have been teeing off nicely with notable performances coming from freshmen and seniors alike.
The women’s golf team played their first match at the Mount Marty College invite on Aug. 31. The team finished eighth out of 11 teams with freshman Kendra Placke tying for fourth overall with a first-round score of 76.
Continuing the season at the Midland Invitational on Sept. 10, the team took seventh of nine teams with Placke taking third and junior Murphy Sears tying for fourth individually.
Most recently, the team was at the Briar Cliff University Lila Frommelt Invite on Sept. 14 and 15, taking eighth of 14 teams. Placke was a top finisher for the team once again, tying for eighth with scores of 81 and 77.
The Bulldogs’ newest recruits have shown potential to help the team move up in the conference this season, with three new students in their top five golfers. Among these is Placke, who has posted the lowest score in all of the team’s meets so far.
Going forward, sophomore Andrea Peterson said that the women have an overall goal to improve, both individually and as a team. Practices are becoming more focused on individual adjustment, and there is tough competition coming.
The men’s team also got off to a good start, finishing fourth out of eight teams at the Briar Cliff Falls Invitational on Sept. 12. Individually, all their scores were 82 or below, the lowest being senior Nolan Zikas with a final score of 70.
On Sept. 13 and 14, the Bulldogs took fourth out of 16 teams at the Siouxland Invite. Zikas won the event, hitting back-to-back 69’s and breaking the school record for a 36-hole score.
The team has performed well, and they look to improve as individuals for the sake of the team. Junior Joshua Schaefer said the team is focusing on “eliminating them high numbers” (as their coach would say) so that they can perform well at the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) championship.
