Burlington boys golf team gets one final tune-up before Monday's Class 4A district

FORT MADISON -- With just four days remaining before the Class 4A district tournament, the Burlington High School boys golf team got one last chance to hone up its game before the big one.

In a match which originally was scheduled for Burlington Golf Club, then moved to Flint Hills Municipal Golf Course and finally shifted to Sheaffer Memorial Golf Course, the Grayhounds made the most of a near-perfect day for golf to down Ottumwa, 322-345.

Tomas Rascon earned medalist honors, carding an even-par 70, two shots better than his older brother, Mateo, who fired a 72.

With the competition about to ramp up for Monday's Class 4A district tournament at Glynn's Creek Golf Course in Long Grove, the Grayhounds know they are going to have to step up their games another notch or two to have a chance to advance to the state tournament.

"It gives me a lot of confidence going into Monday shooting even-par. I figured my driver out and everything else. I feel confident. I just need to make a few putts. I'll go in Monday confident in making it," Tomas Rascon said.

"I've been thinking about Monday for a long time now," said Mateo Rascon, one of four seniors on the BHS team this season. "I think I've got a lot of confidence in my driver. I've been trying to hit a fade. I think I've got that dialed in pretty good. I'm going to work on my putting over the weekend, just dial my game in really, really tight over the weekend. I'm looking forward to it."

Also for the rest of the Grayhounds, senior Rich Bliesener shot an 85, junior Matt Rehman carded a 95 and junior Thomas Fell had a 98.

Junior Carson Ziegler, who was supposed to play in the dual as the Grayhounds' No. 3 player, was ill on Thursday and did not play. BHS head coach Brian Mumm expects Ziegler back for Monday's district tournament.

The Grayhounds will have to play their best round of the season with fifth-ranked Cedar Rapids Xavier, sixth-ranked Pleasant Valley and ninth-ranked Southeast Polk among the 14 teams vying for three qualifying spots.

The state tournament is scheduled for Oct. 7-8 at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids.

"As a team, the key on Monday will be that fourth score," Mumm said. "With these two (Rascons) as low as they go sometimes, we have a chance. But we have to get that fourth score, so hopefully Rich and Carson play well. If they're both on the same page, we're capable."

The Grayhounds had their fair share of ups and downs on Thursday. Tomas Rascon couldn't seem to sink a birdie putt, while Mateo Rascon struggled some with his short irons. Still, they were able to put up solid numbers.

"I started off with lots of pars, then I made a couple bogeys and couldn't make a birdie," Tomas Rascon said. "I finished strong and missed a one-foot putt for birdie. Then after that I rebounded and went birdie, then parred out and got a birdie."

"It wasn't too bad," Mateo Rascon said. "My driver was pretty good for the most part. I had a couple short putts I needed to make. Other than that I hit it the way I wanted to for the most part. There were a couple holes where Ihit over the greens and had tough up and downs."

"These two guys have been playing well all year," Mumm said. "It's just a testament of their work ethic. They put in a lot of work over the summer. They're always within one or two of each other."

The Grayhounds plan to work on their games over the weekend in preparation for Monday's 10 a.m. tee time in Long Grove.

"I just have to work on a few more putts and drivers and a couple iron shots. Clean everything up and finish strong," Tomas Rascon said.

"I'm sad it's my last one. Hopefully it's not the end on Monday," Mateo Rascon said. "I'm sad to see it end in high school, but hopefully we can get something going in college."

Monday's district tournament features seven of the top 30 teams in the latest Iowa High School Golf Coaches Association rankings. Burlington comes in 26th with an adjusted team score of 167.36.

In addition, 12 of the top 50 individuals are in the field. With just two individual spots available for players not on a qualifying team, the competition figures to be fierce.

"It's not easy at the 4A level, that's for sure," Mumm said. "There are some good individuals and they can only take two, so somebody really good is not going."

Matt Levins is a sports reporter for the USA Today Network in Burlington, Iowa, who has covered local sports for 32 years at The Hawk Eye. Reach him at mlevins@thehawkeye.com.

This article originally appeared on The Hawk Eye: Burlington downs Ottumwa in boys golf dual at Sheaffer in Fort Madison