Arlington golfer Josh Hamre wasn't quite sure how he'd hit his hole No. 1 tee shot so straight and long Wednesday at The Pines Country Club in Valley.
The howling wind should have blown his shot off its path, but it didn't. The Eagle easily outhit his playing partners off of the tee box during his team's first meet of the season.
Overall, AHS finished 14th with 430 strokes at the Douglas County West Invitational, while Fort Calhoun — playing in its third competition of the spring — took 15th with 434. Both schools beat Platteview, but finished far behind first-place Elkhorn Mount Michael's 342 swings.
“I was pleased with how things started for the guys,” Eagles coach Scott Parson said. “We have room for improvement and today helped to expose some of the things that we can work on.”
The Knights' Trevor Gutschewski carded just 79 strokes over 18 holes to medal first, while Hamre and Arlington teammate Eddie Rosenthal led Washington County with identical 101s.
Fort Calhoun's Owen Miller, meanwhile, led coach Dustin Humphrey's team with 107 swings. Midway through his round, he said “fine” when asked how the windy conditions were treating him.
“You've just got to deal with it,” he said.
The Pioneers' varsity lineup had more balance than Arlington's with every golfer finishing between 107 and 113 strokes. Miller led the way, while Landon Miller and Dylan Boldt notched 108 swings apiece. Senior Tyler Eastman carded a 111 and Owen Newbold shot a 113.
Behind Rosenthal and Hamre, meanwhile, AHS senior Frankie Rosenbalm shot an 18-hole 104. Stokely Lewis took 124 swings and Dustin Kirk shot a 139.
FCHS and the Eagles were scheduled to return to competition Monday in Ashland. Coach Parson's Arlington squad will next golf 9 a.m. April 19 at River Wilds Golf Club in the Blair Invitational.
Humphrey's Pioneers, meanwhile, play 9 a.m. Wednesday in Leigh before a junior varsity tournament in Ashland and the Bears' home invite.
