by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
A big finish enabled Kansas City Kansas Community College to climb into sixth place in the annual Ottawa Fall Invitational golf tournament at Eagle Bend in Lawrence Tuesday.
Seventh at 333 after the opening round, the Blue Devils chipped 17 shots off the opening round for a 316 finish that the was the third lowest round on the final day.
The big finish enabled KCKCC (639) to vault past Tabor (659), which had led the Blue Devils by four shots at the halfway mark.
Des Moines Area Community College finished just 11 shots over par in the 36-hole event, a 587 total that was 20 shots in front of runnerup Metropolitan Community College (607).
Five DMACC players finished among the top seven in medalist competition.
Other teams finishing ahead of KCKCC were Ottawa (635), Rockhurst (638) and Baker (641).
Sophomore Cameron Riley of Liberal led KCKCC, finishing in a tie for 12th with an 87-88-155 total.
Three Blue Devils tied for 24th – Jacob Hall (84-81-165) of Tonganoxie, Dylan Freund (85-80-165) of Cheney and Keegan Ellington (82-83-165) of Andover Central.
Mark Towey (86-80-166) of Bishop Carroll was another stroke back in a tie for 28th while Kellen Welsh of Olathe West had the Blue Devils second best round of the final day (89-79-168) in finishing 32nd.
KCKCC returns to action Monday and Tuesday when they’ll compete in the Culver University Invitational that will be played on one of the premier courses in the Midwest, Porta Cima at Sunrise Beach, Missouri, at the Lake of the Ozarks.