Upward-Trending Cobbers Post Best Season Finish
Concordia came away with the best finish of its season at the SJU Fall Invite. The Cobbers placed second with a 2-round total of 591 (290-301).
SARTELL, Minn. (9/15/24)---If the Cobbers were a bar graph they would be on an upward climb. If they were a football announcer's cliché, they would have a "high upside".
Concordia continued their season-long improvement by shooting their lowest tournament team total of the year and posting their best team finish of the season.
The Cobbers used an opening-round total of 290 to push themselves to a second-place finish at the St. John's Fall Invite. Concordia earned their runner-up finish by coming home with a score of 301 on Sunday at the meet which was played at the St. Cloud Country Club on Day 1 and Blackberry Ridge GC on Day 2.
The total of 290 on Saturday was the lowest by the Cobbers in a single round this season.
Concordia's tournament total of 591 was better than 11 other teams at the meet, which included four schools from the MIAC.
The Cobbers were once again led by sophomore transfer Ryan Engel. Engel posted his second runner-up finish of the season. He opened the SJU tournament with a 1-under 71 and then closed with a 3-under 69 to come home with a 4-under total of 140. He has now shot even par of better in three of his six rounds this season.
Engel excelled on the Par 4s and Par 5s over the weekend. He led the field in Par 4 scoring with a 1-under total and was tied for second on Par 5s (-4).
Concordia's other podium finisher at the meet was sophomore Jack Hanson. Hanson opened with a 71 and then carded a 74 on Sunday to post a 145. He finished in a tie for fourth place in the final individual standings which his best finish of the season.
Hanson recorded the second-most number of pars over the two rounds (26) and was tied for fifth in Par 3 scoring.
Freshman Andrew Swanson capped a week of solid play by recording a total of 151 (71-80) and earning a tie for 20th place. Swanson, who didn't compete in the team's opening meet of the year was also the team's No.3 finisher at the Bemidji State Invite held on Monday and Tuesday.
Senior Colton Westra, who played as an individual at the SJU Tourney, posted the fourth-best score of any Cobber for the weekend. He fired identical scores of 78 and finished in a tie for 40th place at 156. Westra's total of 156 is his college career best for a 2-day event.
Justin Lamp was almost as consistent as Westra in posting a total of 157 as the scoring team's No.4 finisher. He opened with a 79 and then came home in 78 on Sunday.
Freshman Mitchell Dewey final member of the team's scoring crew, He went out with a 77 and then posted an 82 on Day for a total of 159.
Concordia will have one more event before the MIAC Championship Meet. The Cobbers will compete in the Twin Cities Classic hosted by Gustavus on Sept. 28-30.