by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Sophomore Jeremy Dunham finished just a stroke out of first place as he led Kansas City Kansas Community College to a fifth place finish in the Bethel Spring Invitational over the weekend.
Tied with Dakota Wesleyan for first place with a 301 score at the halfway mark of the opening round played at Hesston Saturday, the Blue Devils’ second round of 302 at Sand Creek in Newton Sunday left them in fifth in a field of 12 teams.
Dakota Wesleyan took top honors with a closing 293 and a 594 total followed by Hastings (598) and Morningside (599). Bethel (602) won a hotly contested battle for fourth followed by KCKCC (603), Midland (604), Baker (605) and Mid-America Christian (606). Kansas Wesleyan (612), Hannibal-LaGrange (616), Doane (617) and Haskell (679) rounded out the 12-team field.
A Derby grad, Dunham opened with a one-over par 71 at Hesston and then added an even 72 at Sand Creek for a 144 total that left him in a 3-way tie a stroke back of co-medalists Brian Krehbiel of Bethel and Collin Tedesco of Hastings, both at 143.
Sophomore Evan Shartzer (73-76-159) and freshman Micah Morris (72-77-159) tied for 11th place while Matt Thayne (77-75-152) and Nick Wagner (78-74-152) deadlocked for 19th. Other Blue Devils in the field of 87 golfers included Bobby Armstrong (79-79-158), who tied for 50th, and Marc McClain (85-80-165) who deadlocked for 68th.
The Blue Devils will return to Sand Creek Monday and Tuesday, April 17-18, for the second Jayhawk Conference Designated Tournament of the spring. The tourney will be contested for 54 holes including 36 on Monday.