PEOSTA

Standing behind her ball for an approach shot toward the 18^th hole at Timberline Golf Course, Madi Davidson couldn’t even see the green.

The 18^th is a monster of a challenge at Timberline. It is the course’s longest hole at 534 yards. Once you’re able to negotiate the distance and the long dipping fairway, a steep elevated green is the reward.

Davidson, a Mid-Prairie sophomore, nailed it in her approach shot from underneath the green. She two-putted to earn a bogey-6 on the hole, a key piece to her round of 101 that landed her on the River Valley Conference Elite Team with a third-place finish in the league tournament held May 4.

More than an hour later, Mid-Prairie senior Madelyn Bender nearly chipped in a shot at 18, producing a reaction from the crowd assembled around the hole.

Those two moments helped the Golden Hawks to a second-place finish in the River Valley championships. Mid-Prairie finished with a team score of 420 and five Golden Hawks made the All-Conference team. A sixth, Elliott Debler, missed All-Conference by just two shots.

“I’m just ecstatic with the way they played,” Mid-Prairie coach Tracy McArtor said.

The Golden Hawks had traveled to Peosta, which is located northeast of Cascade, the night before the tournament to take a look at Timberline without actually playing it.

“We came up here and walked the course,” McArtor said. “We didn’t get a chance to play it was so wet. For the girls to come up here and play this course without ever looking at it before yesterday and just walking around, it is just amazing the way they played. The whole team did a great job from top to bottom.”

Claire Jarrett of West Branch shot 15-over-par 88 to win medalist honors and help lead West Branch to the team title with a score of 408.

Davidson was one of nine golfers named to the Elite Team and she finished just one shot behind runner-up medalist Alex Poppen of West Branch.

“The kid’s got the talent to do it,” McArtor said. “She put everything together today. She’s been coming on along pretty steady over the last couple of weeks, so I don’t think it’s really a surprise to anybody. She’s got the capability to do that.”

Gabi Robertson, a Mid-Prairie sophomore, and Addison English, a freshman, each shot 105 to make the All-Conference team, missing the Elite Team by just one shot.

Alexa Huber, a junior, shot 109 to capture Honorable Mention honors and Bender did the same with a 111.

“To have five kids on the All-Conference team, that’s just wonderful,” McArtor said. “They all deserve it. All six of them deserve it.”

The sixth was Debler, a sophomore who missed All-Conference Honorable Mention by just two shots. She scored three pars and had three bogeys. Her score of 113 was the lowest total of a sixth golfer on any of the teams.

Davidson, Robertson and Bender each scored birdies on the par-5 second hole. Davidson was one of just four to score a bogey on the 18^th hole; several settled for scores of 16 on that hole.

“I got bogey on that hole, which I wasn’t really expecting,” Davidson said.

Mid-Prairie 210

Durant 219

Golden Hawks senior Madelyn Bender shot 49 and won co-medalist honors in Monday’s River Valley dual win over Durant at Wahkonsa Country Club.

Sophomore Gabi Robertson was just three shots back at 52 and Elliott Debler, a sophomore, carded a 54. Addison English shot 55, Kylie Reinier carded a 57 and Alexa Huber had a 58.

“As the season starts to wind down with Regionals coming up on Friday, it’s nice to have these last couple dual meets on the schedule to keep the kids sharp,” Golden Hawks coach Tracy McArtor said. “Durant is always tough at home and with the high winds and, most of all, 85-degree heat that we’ve not played in this year, the girls posted another steady team score and solid individual numbers.”

The Golden Hawks have won four of their last five dual competitions.

“This was our first outing since the kids placed second at the RVC meet last week and sometimes you can get a little letdown, but the girls played really well,” McArtor said.

Mid-Prairie hosts a Class 2A regional tournament Friday at Kalona Golf Course. Joining the Golden Hawks are Central Lee, Louisa-Muscatine, Mediapolis, Tipton, Wilton, West Liberty and Van Buren.