The No. 1 story from Hillcrest Academy athletics in the last year took place on the golf course. The Raven boys golf team put together the best season, in any sport, in school history, finishing an unbeaten ride with a state championship.

The Ravens were 52-0, winning regular season events at Highland, New London, English Valleys, and Winfield-Mt. Union. They posted victories in Kalona against Wapello, Columbus and Lone Tree. The Ravens won the Central Lee Invitational with their low 18-hole score of the year 316, besting five other teams. That total was the third lowest team score across 18-holes by any team in 1A all season. Hillcrest then captured their first ever Southeast Iowa Superconference title, beating 13 other teams at Heritage Oaks in Wapello with a score of 322. Raven senior Luke Schrock was runner-up with a five-over-par 77. Hillcrest freshman Rowan Miller was third, senior Jace Rempel fourth, and sophomore Liam Schrock 10th.

The Raven ride continued in the postseason. Hillcrest scored a sectional championship by six shots at English Valleys with a team score 330, led by Rempel’s fourth place 79. At districts it was another Raven championship by six shots with a pair of top 10s, one from Rempel in seventh with an 80 and Liam Schrock 10th.

On the big stage at the 1A state tournament in Ames, the Ravens faced adversity. Through the first 18 on day one, Hillcrest was positioned in third of 10 teams with a score of 337. Through the first nine on day two, they had dropped to fifth. Then, the Ravens flipped the switch and got hot. Hillcrest lit up their scorecards with a season low 147 team score on the back nine to erase the deficit and win the whole thing to complete the dream season. That 147 was the lowest 1A team score recorded over nine holes all season. Miller had the top card for Hillcrest with a two-day total of 156, including a second day 75 to place seventh and receive All-State Tournament honors. Other Ravens included Luke Schrock 13th with 160, Rempel 22nd at 166, Liam Schrock 26th at 169, Seth Ours 57th with 186 and Josiah Beachy 59th at 187.

Hillcrest led Class 1A with an 18-hole team average of 325. Their 171 nine hole team average was seventh.

The state championship marks the school’s first title since winning the 1A boys state cross country meet in 2009.

That concludes our countdown of the top 10 sports stories at Hillcrest Academy from the last year. You can find all 10 stories available, free, on our website at KCIIradio.com.