By Bob Bakken
MaxPreps.com
Dirksen Wins U.S. Open Qualifier
Hampton-Dumont senior Jed Dirksen, one of the Class 1-A individual tournament favorites, recently went up against the "big boys" and claimed a U.S. Open regional qualifying tournament title in Davenport.
Aided by an early tee time on a course that was more wind-swept as the day went on, Dirksen shot a one-under par 70 at the Davenport Country Club to win the title against 50 other players, most of whom were professionals. He becomes one of three players to move on to a sectional qualifying tournament in Kansas early next month.
Boys Golf
District golf meets in Classes 1-A, 2-A, and 3-A are scheduled for Friday across the state, with qualifiers from the district meet moving on their respective state meets the following weekend. Class 4-A schools do not play boys' golf in the spring, but hold their season in the fall.
In Class 3-A, senior Cody Schweinefus of Decorah had the lowest qualifying score from last week's sectional with an 18-hole score of 68, a score he fashioned at the Waverly-Shell Rock sectional. However, there are three players whose qualifying score was one shot off the pace set by Schweinefus in their respective sectionals. David Smith of Clarke-Osceola (Clarinda sectional), Storm Lake senior Aaron Clausen (Spencer sectional), and junior Zach Manson of Clear Lake (Webster City sectional) each came in with 18-hole scores of 69.
The Class 2-A district qualifiers for this weekend is led by a trio of players who came in with 69's during their sectional play last week. They are junior Justin Weber of Cascade (Cascade sectional), senior Jed Dirksen of Hampton-Dumont (Lake Mills sectional), and Clarion-Goldfield senior Jason Harvey (also Lake Mills sectional).
The top qualifiers going into the Class 1-A districts are Winthrop-East Buchanan's Chris Reck, who scored an 18-hole tally of 68 during sectional play on his home course, and senior Shean Fletcher of Bedford, who carded a 70 in the Lenox sectional last weekend.
Track and Field State Meet This Weekend
Arguably the biggest high school state track and field meet in the country begins at Drake Stadium in Des Moines Thursday. Qualifiers in all four classes for both boys and girls begin competition Thursday morning in a meet that will continue through Saturday afternoon.
Girls Golf
While the boys golf teams are hacking away in district tournament action this weekend, the girls will wait until Monday to compete in regional play in all four classes. Class 1-A through 3-A held district meets on Monday with the top qualifiers heading into regional play.
In Class 1-A, Lamoni's Amanda Butler is the odds on favorite for the individual medalist title after firing a sizzling score of 78 in the Mount Ayr districts last Monday. The closest to that score was the 90 shot by Bedford's Michala Fletcher in the same district meet, and by Alexis Eischeid of Coon Rapids-Bayard in the Sac City district meet.
The favorite nod in Class 2-A could go to Christy Wittmer of Hampton-Dumont, who shot an 18-hole score of 80 in the Garner district meet. Colleen Carroll and Maddy Conklin of Assumption, Whitney Segebart of IKM/Manning and Carly Masching of Carroll Kumeper each shot 81's in their respective district meets last Monday.
Kaurie Kincaid of Knoxville enters Monday's regional Class 3-A meets with the lowest district score of 81 for 18 holes. Jaci Thode and Katie Trelkeld of Washington will bring the second-lowest qualifying score in Class 3-A at 85 each to Monday's regional.
Coaching Moves
Johnston wrestling coach Brian Reece says he's resigning his teaching and coaching position to teach math at Des Moines' Central Academy. Johnston athletic director Gary Ross told the Des Moines Register the school board will act on Reece's resignation at next week's meeting. His Dragons' wrestling teams qualified 26 wrestlers to state in his seven seasons at the helm, including a school record seven qualifiers for last March's state meet.
West Des Moines Dowling is naming Jon Garvin as its new wrestling coach, who's been coach at Saydel for the past two seasons. A two-time state champion in high school at Davenport Assumption, Garvin was an NCAA national wrestling qualifier at Northern Iowa. He was 51-14 in dual meets during his two seasons at Saydel.
