May 2, 2009

INDIANOLA, IOWA . . . With all five players earning All-Conference honors, Central College marched to its 27th Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's golf championship Saturday at Indianola Country Club. The Dutch fired a final-round 297 en route to a 72-hole team total of 1,201 and a 21-stroke victory over defending IIAC champion Luther College. Chris Reck of Wartburg College fired a final round 73 and defeated Luther's Paul Soener in a playoff for meet medalist and IIAC Player of the Year honors.

Reck (78-70-76-73—297) and Soener (73-73-74-77—297) finished one shot ahead of Central’s Andy Petersen (69-79-74-76—298), who entered the tournament as the two-time defending meet medalist. Reck is Wartburg's ninth medalist since 1964 and the first since Ryan Kinseth led a 1-2-3-4 Wartburg sweep in 2006 en route to a league title.

Loras' Mark Dolphin (75-74-73-78—300) was fourth, three shots back, followed by Coe's Brad Downen (79-73-76-73—301) and Central's Matt Vegter (80-76-73-75—303) and Andrew Townsend (84-73-71-76—304). Central's Justin Smool (80-74-75-76—305) defeated teammate Jason Harvey (84-78-73-70—305) in a playoff for eight place, while Wartburg's Ian Flores (82-78-71-78—309) placed 10th to round out recipients of All-Conference recognition. Harvey posted the low round honors Saturday with a 70.

As they had the previous two rounds, Central posted the day’s low score with a 297, one stroke better than Luther's 298. Wartburg fired a final round 306 for a 72-hole total of 1,240. Loras posted a 307 Saturday to place fourth with a 1,248 total, while Coe fired a 306 total on the final day to round out the top five.

With its 27th Iowa Conference men’s golf title, Central has earned an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship at the PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida, beginning May 13. It will be the 28th NCAA appearance for the Dutch.

Coach of the Year: Luther coach Scott Fjelstul and Buena Vista coach Eric Wiebers were named IIAC co-Coaches of the Year. Fjelstul, who was honored for the eighth time since 1992, led the the Norse to top-three finishes in seven of nine tournaments during the academic year, including wins at the Sunshine Invitational, Buena Vista Spring Invitational, and the Gustavus Adolphus Bobby Krig Invitational. Wiebers, in his second season at the helm, led the Beavers to a top 10 finishes at the Wartburg Spring Invitational (10th of 18 teams) and the Buena Vista Spring Invitational (eighth of 20 teams).

Complete men’s golf Championship results can be found here.

Complete Iowa Conference All-Conference Men's Golf Team can be found here.

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