by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Even on one leg, Kansas City Kansas Community College’s Cameron Riley played better than nearly the entire field in the Tabor College Fall Golf Invitational.
A sophomore from Liberal, Riley finished fourth in the Blue Devils’ final tournament of the fall season played at Sand Creek Station in Newton Monday and Tuesday.
“Cam injured his left leg on the 17th hole Monday and limped around Tuesday like Chester on Gunsmoke,” KCKCC coach Gary Shrader said. “He couldn’t put any weight on his left leg and still shot 73. It was amazing. Had it not been the final meet of the season, I would probably have recommended he set it out.”
Riley’s 75-73-148 trailed three golfers from tourney champion Indian Hills, two of whom finished under par. Harry Doig and Harry Fearn each fired 2-under par 142’s with Cyril Henault one shot ahead of Riley at 147..
No other golfer in the field of 50 finished better than 151, three shots back of Riley, who was sixth after Monday’s round.
“It was real windy so being from Liberal, it was right up Cam’s alley,” Shrader said.
The medalist in the season opening Swedes Invitational hosted by Bethany College in Salina, Riley finished in the Top Five in four of KCKCC’s six fall tournaments – all of which had a bevy of Blue Devil followers.
“The support we had from parents, grandparents and fans this fall was outstanding,” Shrader said.
Trailing Tabor by two shots (335-337) after Monday’s 18 holes, the Blue Devils knocked nine shots off their opening round for a 337-328-665 finish that vaulted them past Tabor into seventh place but left them a shot back of sixth place Sterling.
Keegan Ellington (84-81-165) of Andover Central finished in a tie for 28th for KCKCC while Mark Towey (84-84-168) of Bishop Carroll finished 32nd, Dylan Freund (89-86-175) of Cheney 40th, Jacob Hall (81-85-176) of Tonganoxie 41st and Kellen Welsh of Olathe West (89-89-178) 44th. All are freshmen.
Indian Hills (585) breezed to the team title followed by Iowa Western (614), Bethany College (628), Lawrence Tech (645), Bethany B (656), Hesston (657), Sterling 664), KCKCC (665) and Tabor (677).