With a scheduled plan from the Iowa High School Athletic Association to resume spring sports, we’ll preview the upcoming season for area teams, beginning with the Mid-Prairie boys golf team. A season ago, the Golden Hawks shot 172 as a team, that number was second best in the entire River Valley Conference. Pacing the Hawks was junior Noah Schlabaugh holding a 40 average per nine holes and 78 per 18. Both numbers were second best in the RVC. A year ago, the Hawks lost just one conference dual all season, and finished as runners-up at the River Valley Conference Championships in Riverside with their round of 342. Schlabaugh led the way with a 77 as he, along with teammates Monte Slabaugh and Ryan Smit were all selected to all-conference teams. At sectionals, the Hawks advanced with a third place finish at Williamsburg, shooting a 357 and followed that up at districts with a season best 320. While the team didn’t qualify for state, Schlabaugh did with his individual score of 74. Due to weather, only one round of the state tournament was played with Schlabaugh shooting 76, finishing in sixth place overall and was named second team all-state and to the all-tournament team.
This week, Mid-Prairie head coach Kelby Bender talked about his team’s numbers this year and returners. “We did have a meeting before all of this happened. We had 15 guys that showed some interest. Eight of them freshmen, two sophomores, three juniors and two seniors. Returning we have senior Noah Schlabaugh, a state qualifier a year ago. The other senior is Monte Slabaugh, he really came on late in the year, he ended up being an all-conference golfer. Dominic McCain will be a junior, he’s worked really hard to get ready for the year. Kayden Reinier is a junior who started out at JV last year and by the end of the season was playing some consistent golf and was filling that sixth spot for us. We do lose two important seniors from last year’s team so I am hoping there are a couple of younger kids that are ready to step up and fill in those spots.”
The IAHSAA has set a potential return to practice for May 1st and a first competition date of May 4th.