The Pella Christian boys golf team will make a return to the Class 2A State Golf Meet after punching their ticket with a first-place finish at Districts on Monday. Shown above, left to right are: Coach Kent Breems, Connor Van Zee, Cooper Spronk, Eliot Menninga, Deacon Branderhorst, Carter Brand, Landon Fransman, and coach Ron Branderhorst.
Golf
The Pella Christian boys golf team is headed back to State after claiming the District Tournament Championship at Bos Landen Golf Course on Monday, May 19.
Before Districts, PC golfers took care of business at Sectionals. The Eagles started the postseason strong by taking first place at the Class 2A Sectional Meet at Gateway Recreation Course in Monroe. PC shot seven over par as a team, finishing with a team score of 295. Eliot Menninga, grandson of Daryl and Linda Menninga, took fourth place individually with a 73. Landon Fransman, grandson of Wes Van Wyk, carded an 75 for sixth. Carter Brand, son of Eric and Faye Brand and grandson of Dale and Tana Brand and Leon and Margaret Vander Weerdt, shot a 91.
At Districts on Monday, PC competed on their home course at Bos Landen against nine other teams vying for a trip to State. The weather wasn’t ideal for golfing, and the meet was delayed due to rain and lightning. The Eagles persevered through the soggy conditions, extreme wind, and cold temperatures to collect a team score of 319 for first place. Menninga earned medalist honors, shooting four over par to finish with a 76. Fransman carded a 93 and Brand a 95.
The Class 2A Boys State Golf Tournament will be played at Gates Park Golf Course in Waterloo May 27-28.
Additional golfers with local connections include Levi Fransman, grandson of Wes Van Wyk; Lewis Menninga, grandson of Daryl and Linda Menninga; and Trevor Vos, grandson of Gary and Becky Vos.
Soccer
The PC girls soccer team wrapped up the regular season with Senior Night on Friday, May 16. They fell to Van Meter, 4-3. In the nightcap, the boys soccer team finished with a 1-1 tie against the Bulldogs. The girls began Class 1A Region 7 playing at Albia on Wednesday, May 21. The boys host the second round of Class 1A Substate 7 against West Branch or Albia on Tuesday, May 27.
Players with local connections include Julianne Van Gorp, granddaughter of Marv and Lynda Slings; Cambria Van Dyke, granddaughter of Marv and Pam Van Dyke; Chloe Vos, daughter of Curt and Candice Vos; and Maggie Vos, granddaughter of Gary and Becky Vos. For the boys, Drew Van Wyngarden, grandson of Craig and Fos Van Wyngarden, is on the team.
Tennis
The PC girls tennis team swept Chariton, 5-0, to open up Regional team play on Friday, May 16. Renae Van Wyk, daughter of Lauren and Julie Van Wyk, recorded two 6-0 wins in her match.
See next week’s issue to see how the Eagles fared when taking on Albia at Pella’s Caldwell Park in the regional semifinal that was on Tuesday.
Additional players with local connections include Allison Pleima, daughter of Stuart and Sheila Pleima, and Erika Van Maanen, daughter of Kevin and Melanie Van Maanen.
The PC boys tennis team got a 5-3 win over Nevada on Saturday, May 17, in the Class 1A team substate tournament. Later in the day, they suffered a 5-0 loss to Waverly which ended the season. PC boys tennis finishes with a 5-6 overall record.
Jonathan Van Gorp, grandson of Marv and Lynda Slings, is a senior on the team. Additional players with local connections include Jayden Lee, grandson of Melvin and Wanda Lanser; Landon Van Wyk, son of Lauren and Julie Van Wyk.
Track and Field
Bailey Vos, daughter of Curt and Candice Vos, and Landon Fransman, grandson of Wes Van Wyk, punched their tickets to the Class 2A State Track and Field Championships after phenomenal performances at the Class 2A District Track and Field Meet at PCM on Thursday, May 15. The PC girls took the team title with 114 points.
PC had a total of 12 automatic State qualifiers. At the State-qualifying meet, Vos qualified by capturing first place in the 200m dash and 400m dash. She was also a member of the first-place and State-qualifying sprint medley and 4x400 teams. Fransman cleared a personal best of 6’4” in the high jump for second place, which also earned him an automatic qualification.
The State Track and Field meet is May 22-24 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines.
