Competition for the Class 4A prep golf season begins Thursday. Metro and Iowa City golfers will open with the Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet.
Aug. 12 – First day of competition; Mississippi Valley Conference Super Meet at Gates Park Golf Course in Waterloo
Sept. 7 – CRANDIC Golf Meet at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City
Sept. 13 -First rounds of MVC divisional meets: Valley Division at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City; Mississippi Division at Ellis Golf Course
Sept. 27 – Second rounds of MVC divisional meets: Valley Division at …

A look are a few of the top returners from last season.
Dane Worley, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, sr.: Placed third at the 2009 4A state meet, first-team all-conference, first-team all-Metro, 36.83 9-hole average.

Tyler McCann, Linn-Mar, jr.: Top 30 finish at 2009 4A state meet, first-team all-Metro, third-best conference 9-hole average at 38.50.
Ryan Maske, Iowa City High, sr.: Averaged 38.63 per nine holes in 2009, tied for 20th at 2009 4A state meet, two-time state qualifier, all-conference.
Cody Bell, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, jr.: tied for 20th at 2009 4A state meet, MVC …

A breakdown of some of the best teams to keep your eyes on in high school golf in Eastern Iowa this upcoming season.

Few have devoted as much time to golf than Steve Kahler.
The Linn-Mar head coach is starting his 26th year coaching, which extends beyond the Lions inclusion in the Mississippi Valley Conference and boys’ teams competing in the fall. Almost half of that time has also included serving as Linn-Mar girls golf coach in the spring, and squeezing in time for his own competition and work with youth programs in between.
Kahler gives the impression he wouldn’t want it any other way.
“It’s been a fun experience,” said …

-Female Finalists-

Karly Cochrane:
School: Mount Vernon High School.
High school highlights: Key member of a talented troop of girls that claimed state championships in volleyball, basketball and track in the 2009-10 school year. Competed in four state track meets, three state volleyball tournaments, two state softball tournaments and one state basketball tournament. A member of 10 state-championship relays in track. The starting shortstop for five years, she earned first-team all-state honors in 2009. Softball team placed fourth in 2010.
Future plans: Will …

Iowa High School Athletic Association Executive Director Rick Wulkow was kind enough to sit down for a short chat during last week’s state baseball tournament in Des Moines.
Wulkow has been with the IHSAA since 1980, including five years as executive director. A Lytton native, Wulkow was recently appointed president-elect of the National Federation of High School Associations.
Here’s the interview with Wulkow in its entirety.
Q: Tell me about the national appointment and how you feel about it?
A: It’s one of those things that you kind of dream …

The deadline for nominations for 2010 Gazette Athletes of the Year is Thursday.
E-mail resumes to jeff.linder@gazcomm.com. Only seniors are eligible. Finalists will be announced Aug. 1; the winners will be announced Aug. 8.
Here’s a list of those nominated so far, plus some that we have added to the list:
MALE
Kyle Thoreson, Alburnett
Joby Frey, Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Max Martino, Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Andre Dawson, Cedar Rapids Washington
Ryan Sander, Cedar Rapids Xavier
Justin Hoffman, East Buchanan
John Chelf, Iowa City High
A.J. Derby, Iowa City High
Nick Moore, Iowa City West
Will Roth, Linn-Mar
Dalton Combs, Marion
Tanner …

ANKENY – Kimmy Askelson has raise the bar to new heights for future Cedar Rapids Xavier girls golfers.
The Saints junior became the school’s first girls golfer to qualify for the state tournament and then added to that accomplishment.
Askelson fired two rounds under 80 at Otter Creek Golf Course to finish with a score of 154, which was good for fourth place at the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Class 4A state meet Wednesday.
Askelson carded a 75 in the first round and capped the meet with …

Not many expected the East Buchanan boys’ golf team to play in the season’s final meet.
Heck, even East Buchanan coach Scott Zhiss wasn’t sure his golfers would advance, but they did and that’s all that mattered.
The Bucs won a district team title and earned a berth to play at the Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 1A state golf meet Friday at Spring Valley Golf Course in Livermore.
The Bucs will play at state for the third time in four years, returning after missing out a year ago.
“It was the goal …

Prep golfers hit the course for Iowa High School Athletic Association championship meets today as 35 sectional meets in all three classes across the state.
Decorah senior Andrew Peter will look to defend his individual state title, and help lead the Vikings back to the Class 3A state meet. The Vikings, who placed fourth at state last season, travel to Charles City for a sectional with Clear Lake, Crestwood, Forest City, Hampton-Dumont, Iowa Falls-Alden and New Hampton. The top four individuals and top two teams advance to next week’s district play, joing a Manchest …