by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
With one championship already under its belt this spring, the Kansas City Kansas Community College finished eighth this past weekend in a Graceland Spring Invitational dominated by four-year colleges and universities.
The Blue Devils got the spring season off to a rousing start by winning the 8-team Ottawa Spring Invitational played at Eagle Bend Golf Course near Lawrence.
Jeremy Dunham, a freshman from Derby, too medalist honors in the 27-hole tournament with a 70-37-107, two shots ahead of Jacob Rice of the University of Jamestown.
All five Blue Devils finished in the top 20 in a field of 60 golfers as sophomore Zach Spencer of Olathe East tied for eighth (72-41-113) and sophs Dalton Ayres (79-37-116) of Newton and Colton Allen (74-42-116) of Shawnee Mission Northwest and freshman Matt Thayne (74-42) of Hesston all finished in a tie for 18th.
The Blue Devils finished with a 447 total, one shot in front of Des Moines Area Community College. Jamestown (451) was third followed by Ottawa (452), Graceland (466), Kansas Wesleyan (471), Bethel (473), Haskell Indian Nation (475) and Avila (484).
An all-day rain marred the opening round of the Graceland Invitational as the Blue Devils finished with rounds 323 and 321 for a 644 total in the 14-team tournament. Lindenwood won the even with a 607 total followed by Graceland (616), Central College (617), Lindenwood B (618) and William Penn University (621).
Thayne led the Blue Devils, finishing in a tie for 18th with a 79-78-157) with Dunham 27th (82-78-16) and Spencer 39th (80-84-164). Ayers (82-83-165) and Allen (83-82) finished in a tie for 42nd.