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On home course, West Branch undercuts Durant by 52 strokes
by Matthew Dickinson, sports editor · Sports · April 16, 2025
Despite battling heavy winds, the West Branch boys’ golf team shot a season best while rolling past Durant 158-210 Monday evening at home.
“Especially in these conditions, I was really, really pleased with how the kids performed,” Bears Head Coach Randy Sexton said. “It’s certainly not easy when you’re battling the winds like we had to do. Having a home meet helps, but just happy with the way they played and no complaints. Obviously, everybody’s playing in these high winds, but the kids weren’t complaining about it. They’re just like, alright, just keep playing golf.”
The Bears had the top two slots on a pair of impressive efforts from McGavin Smith and Bryce Anderson. Smith claimed the medal with a 37 while Anderson followed a stroke behind for runner-up medalist with a 38.
West Branch had another dual with a tight spread between the scoring golfers, as Paxton Tisinger shot a 40 and Sawyer Jeffries carded a 43. Non-scorers Ethan Miller (44) and Reese Gingerich (48) also turned in good rounds on the blustery day.
“We’re just trying to build for meets that matter more later on down the road,” Sexton said. “To see those two in particular [Smith and Anderson] shoot as well as they did and then have Paxton right there with the 40, Sawyer with the 43, Ethan with the 44 kind of grouped together. Reese hasn’t played in a while because he was at Des Moines for the SkillsUSA Academy.”
The Bears’ depth was on full display, as the junior varsity team would have beaten the Wildcats with a 183. West Branch’s massive roster had plenty of scores in the 40’s and low 50’s as well.
“Even looking at our JV scores, there are some really good scores as well,” the coach said. “It’s nice to see we have some younger kids that are continuing to improve as well.”
West Branch will keep busy the rest of the week starting with an April 15 tournament hosted by Mid-Prairie at Kalona Golf Course followed by a Thursday tournament in Tipton. Sexton said that he has been impressed by his team’s consistency throughout the season, adding that Kalona would be a challenging course and that the host Tigers would be looking to knock off the Bears at the Tipton tournament after a close battle last season.
Team scores: 1. West Branch 158 2. Durant 210
West Branch scores: McGavin Smith 37 (medalist); Bryce Anderson 38 (runner-up medalist); Paxton Tisinger 40; Sawyer Jeffries 43; Ethan Miller 44; Reese Gingerich 48.
Durant scores: Kaden Sickels 51; Reid Hollenback 52; Conner Schwarz 53; Aiden Alderman 54; Tayte Schroeder 54; Adam Wulf 77.
Junior varsity team scores: 1. West Branch 183 2. Durant 210.
West Branch JV scores: Gavin Oxley 43; Nolan Staker 44; Tate Frantz 48; Reed Brooke 48; Chason Maier 50; Sullivan Brooke 55.
Durant JV scores: Gavin Wulf 45; Trey Ramer 54; Colton Buesing 55; Race Starr 56; Corbin McCoy 71; Ethan Dorris 75.
West Branch other: Connor Sexton 48; Hudson Wolfe 50; Tate Lynch 50; Ian Nelson 52; Cael Nelson 50; Cooper Hartz 46; Spencer Green 52; Nate Hills 45; Jarrett Ellyson 52; Cole Crosthwaite 81; Garrett Edwards 55; Kyler Donohoe 51; Elliot Montgomery 53; Jackson Marcy 65; Wylder Morehead 55; Bodee Morehead 52; Landon Laing 64; Mason Vargason 62; Masyn Nicholson 61; Kaleb Rios 71; Garrett Tisinger 64; Ethan Highly 93.
Durant other: Tony Mesa 62; Izac Smysor 69; Josh Peel 82.
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