Washington High School - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

VanDraska powers Prairie to title

DUBUQUE - Tysen VanDraska ran away with top honors and led Cedar Rapids Prairie to a convincing victory at the Mississippi Division cross country meet Thursday at the Dubuque Soccer Complex.

VanDraska toured the 5K race in 15 minutes, 29.5 seconds. He defeated teammate Cam Steffens by 29.3 seconds.

The Prairie Hawks also finished 5th, 8th and 9th with Chris Oehlert, Jake Moore and Colton LaGrange to end the meet with 25 points.

Steve Culpepper of Xavier placed seventh. Samuel Eck of Washington was 10th.

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Gorman nipped for Mississippi title

DUBUQUE - Reagan Gorman of Cedar Rapids Washington finished second at the Mississippi Division cross country meet Thursday at the Dubuque Soccer Complex.

Mary Arch of Iowa City High won the 5K race in 18 minutes, 27.3 seconds. She edged Gorman, a freshman, by 1.5 seconds.

Jenny Dickes of Xavier finished sixth in 19:25.7.

Iowa City High won the team championship.

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Elmcrest tames best golfers in state

They held the 2015 boys state golf tournament at Elmcrest Country Club this year and the golf course won.

The best high school golfers in Iowa struggled with the winds, fast greens, narrow fairways and abundant trees at Elmcrest and nobody was able to break par for the 36-hole event.

Ben Epperly of West Des Moines Valley fired a 2-under-par 68 Saturday and won the championship at 2-over 142. Two golfers from Waukee tied for second at 8-over 148 and everybody else finished at least 10 shots over par.

Elmcrest is a tough course and the windy conditions made it even tougher, but nobody seemed to think the course was too tough for a high school meet.

"No, I don't think the course was too tough. I think it was just right," said Washington sophomore Alex Slattery, who had the best round among Metro golfers Saturday with a 74.

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Lions eye title with Kahler as coach

The Linn-Mar Lions will be aiming to win the boys state golf title Saturday at Elmcrest Country Club with Hall of Fame coach Steve Kahler by their side.

The Lions found themselves tied for third place Friday after the first round of the 36-hole tournament, just six strokes behind Waukee heading into the final round.

Kahler, who coached the Linn-Mar boys golf team from 1985 through 2012 before retiring as a teacher and coach, is back at the helm of the Lions as one of their acting head coaches in place of Bill Hoefle, who apparently was relieved of his duties a few weeks ago.

Linn-Mar Athletic Director Scott Mahmens declined comment Friday on why Hoefle is no longer coaching the team. Hoefle did not answer his cell phone Friday afternoon.

Max Thrune fired a 4-over-par 74 to lead the Lions and Jake Sevcik was right behind with a 75.

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