An improvement from Tuesday’s opening round wasn’t enough to help the Pella Christian boys golf team move up the leaderboard at the Class 2A State Boys Golf Tournament in Waterloo on Wednesday.

After shooting a 336 on the first day of the tourney at Gates Park Golf Course, the Eagles bounced back to record a 322 on the final day of action to finish in a tie for ninth place with Kuemper Catholic at 658. Eliot Menninga was Pella Christian’s top finisher in the meet, shooting a two day total of 82-77–159 to take 22nd place. Cooper Spronk finished in a tie for 41st place with an 84-81-165, while Landon Fransman wasn’t far behind in a tie for 43rd place with an 85-81–166. Deacon Branderhorst completed the team scoring for the Eagles with an 85-83–168 to tie for 52nd. Wrapping up the lineup for Pella Christian at the meet was Carter Brand with a 90-84–174 and Connor Van Zee with a 92-90–182. Menninga, one of the seven seniors for the Eagles this season, said that while the tournament did go as hoped, it was still a fun experience.

“It was a great couple days up here staying overnight in the hotel with my friends, and I wouldn’t ask for anything else. It’s not the golf that we wanted to play, but it was still a good time.”

Pella Christian’s seven seniors that graduate from the program include Menninga, Spronk, Fransman, Branderhorst, Brand, Van Zee, and Wyatt Snyder.