STUDENTS COMPLETE FOURTH ROUND AT NJCAA GOLF NATIONALS IN SCOTTSBORO, ALABAMA

The National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division II golf tourney has wrapped up in Scottsboro, Ala.

The Laker men had a rougher day on Friday.

The team shot a 325. Andy Soper, Estherville, turned in the lowest score of the day, a 78. Kyle Brandt of Spencer was one stroke back with a 79. Tom Thompson, Emmetsburg, had an 83 and Ross Froehlich, Algona, had an 85.

"We just ran out of gas today," said Coach Dan Soper.

The Laker men had some of the earliest tee times of the day. The temperature was around 60 when they started play and about 85 degrees when they were done.

"It was more humid today. There was no air movement, but overall it was great weather all week," Coach Soper said.

The players were a bit disappointed in their performances Friday, but overall, can learn from their experience.

"I just think once all the golf is over and they think about it…they’ll be pretty happy with the experience," said Coach Soper. "You always want to play…better, but there are a lot of kids that aren’t here that certainly would like to be in their place."

Brandt (a sophomore) just missed advancing to the national tourney last year. The other three (Froehlich, Soper and Thompson) will have a second chance next year if they qualify.

"The thing you can’t get with golf is experience (at nationals)," Coach Soper said. "You have to go through it and most of the kids (especially with the male golfers I’ve brought) have advanced in their sophomore years. So, for these three to make it as freshmen, that’s quite an accomplishment."

These Laker men are the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th national qualifiers for Coach Dan Soper who is finishing his 11th year at Iowa Lakes.

They will return to Iowa early Sunday morning after a late Saturday flight into South Dakota.