DES MOINES — It was one of those special moments when time just seemed to stop and for a short while, most of a packed Drake Stadium crowd was fixated on Anamosa sophomore Colten Kelly and Fort Madison senior Marc Meierotto.

“It was quite the scene and to have one of our own right there in the middle of it was something pretty special, no doubt about it,” said Anamosa boys track coach Wes Wilson as Kelly dueled with the eventual class 3A state champion to the bitter end. “I couldn’t have asked any more from Colten than what he gave out there in Drake Stadium. He was simply amazing and to do it on such a huge stage like the state meet was something I know I’ll never forget as well as everyone else who was there to witness a great class 3A high jump event.”

MARION — Managing to make their way through a wet, soggy, windy and chilly day at the class 3A sectional tournament in Independence last week, the Anamosa boys golf team welcomed the warm weather that greeted them in Marion Friday, May 19, at the pressure-filled district tournament with invitations to the state meet being handed out.

“We knew to be able to get out of this district, we were going to have to have some of our guys step up and shoot some pretty low scores,” said Raider boys golf coach Brad Mangler. “And we got exactly that from Drew Corpstein.”

One of the most successful senior classes in the long and distinguished history of Anamosa High School boys golf, Corpstein, Shawn Parmenter, Dillon Eggers and Derek Hart all stepped up and met the challenges in front of them at Gardner Country Club.

“The seniors did it again,” said Mangler after the Raiders claimed their third straight trip to the class 3A state tournament after firing a 321 team score and securing third in the district. “And we needed each and every stroke from each and every one of them to get it done.”

Anamosa claimed the final invitation to Decorah and the 2006 boys state golf tournament by a single stroke over fourth-place Independence.

The third-place Raiders earned the berth after host Marion claimed the district title firing a 310 score to best runner-up West Delaware’s 318 tally, both of whom will join Anamosa in Decorah Friday, May 26, and Saturday, May 27 at the state meet.

“It doesn’t get a whole lot closer than that,” said Mangler. “They didn’t know it at the time, but Drew and Dillon hit some pretty big shots on the 18th green to get us to state.”

Corpstein, golfing the game of his life right when the Raiders needed it the most, made a clutch par on the 18th hole recovering with a fine up-and-down from trouble off the green while Eggers drilled a long putt on the 18th green to save the Anamosa boys as well.

“I am so proud of Drew for what he was able to accomplish at this pressure tournament,” said Mangler after Corpstein carded a phenomenal round of 77 (38-39). “We knew Drew was capable of rounds like this. He shot a 78 at Tipton earlier this season but to come through with his best round ever under these pressure conditions says a lot about the competitor he is.”

Shawn Parmenter added a 78 (39-39) for the Raider boys while Eggers (43-40) and Hart (40-43) made their way through the Gardner Country Club with cards of 83 each.

“Shawn was his normal consistent self once again,” said Mangler. “We always know what we’re going to get from Shawn and today we got another solid round of golf. He did struggle today, but showing the ability he has, worked his way through and still fired a score we absolutely had to have.”

Parmenter, Hart and Eggers are three-time state golf participants while Corpstein will be making his second straight trip to the state level.

“These guys have accomplished a lot during their careers here at Anamosa,” said Mangler.
“They will go down in history as one of the most successful classes ever to come through here and have set the bar pretty high for others to try to follow.”

The Raider boys topped Independence (322), Decorah (326) and Oelwein (346) at the 3A district tournament.

West Delaware’s Cody Schweinefus claimed the district individual title firing a one-over par 73 (38-35) while Independence’s Jake Thomas added another 73 (35-38) and automatic berth at state as an individual. Marion’s Ben Messerli (38-38) and Brady Quinn (40-36) as well as West Delaware’s Ben Clark (39-37) rounded out the tournament top-5 shooting a trio of 76’s.

Also making their way through the course for the Raiders were Tyler Parmenter (46-45) and Colten Kelly (44-49) who fired rounds of 91 and 93, respectively.

“Those two kids struggled for us but they have fresh life now at state,” said Mangler. “We’re just going to show up in Decorah and have some fun and let the scores fall where they may. We’re just happy to be there and are taking a pressure-free attitude.”

Atlantic, two-time defending state champion Clear Lake, Dallas Center-Grimes, Glenwood, Knoxville, Mount Pleasant, Pella and Spirit Lake Park round out the 3A state golf field with the Raiders, Indians and Hawks.

“When you look at that field you have to look at Clear Lake as the clear favorite,” said Mangler.
“There are also quite a few teams like ourselves who are back from last year and with that experience we’ve got, anything is possible. But our main goal is to go out and just have fun and not worry about what other teams are doing. The kids are excited about the opportunity to golf at state once again and so am I. This should be fun.”

Tee-time in Decorah Friday, May 26, at the Oneota Golf and Country Club is 12:00 p.m. while Saturday, May 27, the teams take to the course at 9:00 a..m.

DES MOINES — Closing out one of the most successful track careers ever at Anamosa High School, Raider senior Liz McAtee battled through numerous injuries to reach the pinnacle of her sport Thursday, May 18, and Friday, May 19, and nothing was going to put a damper on her 2006 state meet experience.

“I worked too hard and for too long just to get here,” said McAtee who performed for the Raiders in the class 3A state discus and shot put events in Des Moines. “While things didn’t turn out exactly the way I had hoped they would at state, I’m not complaining. This was still a great experience for me.”

McAtee, opened her state track meet in the discus Thursday, letting loose with a 105’ 1’’ toss on her third and final throw in the event.

“Liz just missed making the finals with that throw,” said Anamosa girls track coach Wes Wilson. “Another three feet and she scores points for us at the state meet. For this being the first time she has ever been down to Des Moines and competing at this level, she did well. I am proud of her.”

Early on it seemed the Raider boys were going to cruise to the 1A substate quarter-final round after taking a 2-0 lead on the Bobcats with sensational soccer started almost immediately in the first half.

“We couldn’t have gotten off to a better start,” said Weston. “We scored two quick goals and our confidence was sky-high. Then things started to fall apart.”

After the officials whistled the Raiders for a hand ball in the box at the 21 minute mark of the first half, Western Dubuque was awarded a corner kick which they converted trimming the Anamosa lead to 2-1 at the halftime break.

The second half saw tempers escalate as three Raider goals were whistled back due to various fouls called by officials while those same officials also awarded the visitors a pair of penalty shots allowing both of the Western Dubuque tallies in the final 40 minutes.

“The kids played like they’ve been taught to play but for some reason the officials didn’t seem to like it,” said Weston as starters Miles Weber and Kevin Williams were both ejected from the contest by the officials. “There was physical play by both teams but we were the ones penalized.”

Without their two star defenders, the Bobcats attacked the Anamosa defense scoring their tying goal 12 minutes into the second half and their go-ahead tally with just five minutes remaining.

DES MOINES — Bright and early Friday, May 19, the Midland girls’ distance medley team of Paige Paulsen, Amanda Hansen, Sammy Reid and Mary Burmeister took to the Drake Stadium track in Des Moines looking to make their mark in the class 1A event.

They did exactly that!

Running their best time of the season and setting a new school record along the way, the team placed 19th in the 1A field with a blistering time of 4:28.26.

“I was pretty nervous walking out on the track getting the race started,” said Paulsen after the race who opened the distance medley event running the first 200 meters before handing the baton to Hansen for the second 200 leg. “I just wanted to get us off to a good start.”

She did exactly that!

After Hansen came flying down the home stretch, a waiting Reid took the baton and ran the Eagle girls near the lead for most of a sensational 400 meter leg.