INDEPENDENCE — Iola High’s Kaden Macha picked up where he left off last season.
The defending Class 4A individual champion won his first meet of the 2014 season Thursday at the Independence Invitational.
Macha carded a 75, two strokes better than Independence’s Logan Taylor.
“I was very pleased with how everybody did,” Mustang golf coach Doug Kerr said. “The key is to see how much we can improve before our next meet Tuesday at Pittsburg.”
The Mustangs finished in second with a team score of 337, 14 shots behind Independence’s 323.
“Remember, this is on their home course,” Kerr said.
If there was one issue for the Iola squad, it was getting out of sand traps.
“They just haven’t been exposed to those around here,” Kerr said. “We don’t have a single sand trap in Allen County. We’ll find a place to get some work.”
Drake Dieker carded an 83, to take ninth overall, followed by Shane Walden, who was 14th with an 87.
Matt Jacobs took 24th with a 92, Weston Hines and Adam Peterson both shot 98s to tie for 32nd.
Walden is in his first week of playing golf after undergoing offseason surgery to both shoulders.
“Shane got a little tired at the end, but we expected that,” Kerr said. “He did a good job.”
Gusty winds occasionally affected play, but otherwise the weather was ideal, Kerr noted.
Independence Invitational
1. Kaden Macha (37-38—75)
9. Drake Dieker (44-39—83)
