How Gilbert set a new 3A record to highlight the 2024 Iowa girls state golf tournament

CEDAR FALLS — The unstoppable machine that is the Gilbert girls golf team was at its absolute apex when it mattered most.

The Tigers repeated as Class 3A girls golf team champions by shooting a new 3A record score and turning in the best single day in Iowa state tournament history.

Gilbert scored a 608 as a team over 36 holes during the 3A girls state golf tournament held Thursday and Friday at the Pheasant Ridge Golf Course. That not only set a new 3A mark, but it was also the best among teams from all four classes competing in girls state golf over the past two days.

“I expected us to do well, but I never expected it to go as well as it has been,” said Gilbert senior Josie Dukes. “It’s just been a lot of fun.”

It went especially well on Friday. Gilbert tied a school record with a 299 over the final 18 holes of the 3A tournament.

It was the lowest score ever shot during a single 18-hole day of the Iowa girls golf state tournament.

“That 299 is a big number for us today,” said Gilbert coach Grant Walker. “You couldn’t ask for a better ending for these seniors. You couldn’t even write that story.”

More: How the the Gilbert girls golf seniors plan to make the most of their final season

Gilbert senior Eden Lohrbach was the 3A state medalist. She shot a 5-under-par score of 139 over 36 holes during the two days of the state meet.

Lohrbach won 3A medalist by eight strokes. It was her third individual 3A state title in four years, and she lost in a playoff for medalist as a sophomore — the only year she did not win it.

“I think it’s awesome,” said Lohrbach. “I put in a lot of work, I know this team has, and it’s just a lot of fun to do this with them.”

Clear Lake's Meghan DeLong was 3A medalist runner-up with a 147. Wahlert Catholic's Ava Kalb was third with a 152 and Lohrbach's younger sister Ava took fourth after shooting a 154 and winning a card-back over Lisbon's Kaylie Kelchen.

Wahlert Catholic came in a distant second to Gilbert in the 3A team standings with a score of 651.

Ella Lohrbach placed 10th with a 156, Macy Underwood 14th with a 163, Dukes 20th with a 169 and Haley Loonan 27th with a 172 as the other golfers competing for Gilbert at the 3A state meet.

Pleasant Valley claims 4A title

Pleasant Valley turned in the second-best team score among the teams competing in all four classes during the girls state golf tournament.

The Spartans won the 4A team title at Otter Creek Golf Course in Ankeny after shooting a 627. They scored a 315 on Thursday and shaved three strokes off that score Friday.

Izzy Steele paced a balanced Pleasant Valley team by placing 10th individually with a 153. Anna Weinberger was 16th with a 157, Camille Wood 22nd with a 159 and Elliana Danielsen 31st with a 164 for the Spartans.

Waukee Northwest and Cedar Rapids Washington tied for second in 4A after each team scored a 634 over the two days.

Linn-Mar's Morgan Rupp was the 4A state medalist. Rupp had the best individual score among all four classes during state after she shot a 5-under-par round of 137 over 36 holes.

Rupp scored a 70 on Thursday and she went 4-under with a 67 on Friday.

Iowa City Liberty's Isabella Petersen was 4A medalist runner-up with a 140 and Des Moines East/North's Saleah Vivanh Vong took third with a 142.

Chloe Bolte leads Sumner-Fredericksburg to first in 2A

Chloe Bolte’s individual brilliance helped Sumner-Fredericksburg dethrone Roland-Story for the 2A team championship at the Cedar Point Golf Course in Boone.

Bolte was the 2A medalist with a 6-under score of 138 after scoring a 67 on Thursday and 71 on Friday. Bolte won medalist by an impressive 19 strokes over New Hampton's Lauren Nuss and Oelwein's Grace Lewis, who both carded a 157.

Bolte's effort was good enough to lift Sumner-Fredericksburg to the 2A team title with a score of 674. Greyson Smith took 24th, Kylee Krueger 25th and Ava Schult 27th with respective rounds of 179, 180 and 180 for the Cougars.

Last year's 2A team champion, Roland-Story, placed a close second to Sumner-Fredericksburg in 2A with a 679. Sophomore Brinley Carlson paced the Norse with a sixth-place individual score of 162.

Easton Valley cruises to the 1A team championship

Easton Valley made short work of the 1A field at the American Legion Golf Course in Marshalltown.

The River Hawks finished with a team score of 711 over 36 holes to win the 1A title by 29 strokes over BCLUW. Jenna Roling placed sixth with a 168, Addie Fier eighth with a 170, Hadley Farrell 28th with a 187 and Alia Schmidt 36th with a 191 for Easton Valley.

New London's Taylor Phillips was the 1A state medalist with a 7-over score of 149. Mount Ayr's Jaylee Schaffer took runner-up with 151.

Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Gilbert sets 3A team mark during girls state golf tournament