IOWA CITY— There was some progress on the scorecards but not in the standings for the Central College men's golf team in the Central Fall Classic Tuesday.
           
Central remained in 10th in the 12-team tourney at 323-314—637. American Rivers foe Luther College took the top spot with 295-292—587 while Knox College (Ill.) was second at 303-297—690.
           
Blake Wynn (junior, Milan, Ill.) shot 75-78--153 to tie for 19th place individually. Thomas Lyaudet of Knox College (Ill.) took medalist honors with 70-71—141 on the par-72 Finkbine Golf Course.
           
Maison Brandt (freshman, Byron, Ill.) shot 80-78--158, Crew Klingner (freshman, Williamsburg) had 83-82—165, Bautista Valeiras (freshman, Naples, Fla., Gulf Coast HS) shot 85-77--165 and Kayden Pendergrass (senior, Mount Vernon) had 85-81—166.
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"I think it took us 27 holes to get comfortable," coach Mel Blasi said. "I think we played that last nine holes pretty well. Bautista (Valeiras), other than one hole, played a really good round and a couple of the other guys played decent."
           
Central's second team remained 11th at 328-313--641. Jackson Murphy (senior, Carthage, Ill., Illini West HS) made five birdies en route to a 1-over-par 73 and finished at 84-73--157.
           
"Jackson had a great round," Blasi said. "Five birdies is awesome. He's had a good fall."
           
Blasi is reminding himself that six of the team's top players are freshmen, still learning the lessons needed to post low numbers.
           
"There's such a fine line between that 72 and 78 and it's almost always doing the little things right consistently," Blasi said. "It's putting the ball in the right position. It's avoiding a disastrous hole. It's part of the learning process but it's maybe just a decision that got you on the wrong side of the hole and then you were in trouble. We had way too many of those kind of situations today."
           
Yet Blasi remains optimistic, seeing flashes of promise in his young squad.
           
"The good news is, most of our problems are correctable," he said.
           
Central closes its fall slate Oct. 21-22 with a first-ever appearance at the Sand Creek Station Intercollegiate Invitational at the Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas. The tourney is hosted by Tabor College (Kan.), an NAIA school and attracted 14 schools last year.
           
"It's a great golf course," Blasi said. "It's nationally known. They had the last USGA Public Links Tournament there in 2014."