West High Freshman Wilson Caps Impressive Debut Season With State Runner-up Finish
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – Just moments after Ainsley Wilson wrapped up an impressive debut season on Friday the West High freshman standout was already thinking about the future.
After capping an incredible season with a runner-up finish at the Class 4A state tournament at Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Iowa City Wilson already had her sights set on next season.
“I think this will give me a little bit of motivation for the next few years,” Wilson said. “Hopefully the experience can help me.”
Before hitting fast forward Wilson and her West High teammates will celebrate a season of great growth and success.
The runner-up finish from Wilson helped West High finish 10th as a team at the two-day state tournament with a score of 697.
After an opening-round 350 on Thursday the Trojans shot a 347 on Friday to finish four strokes back of ninth-place Indianola.
“They were beginners three or four years ago, we were shooting in the 500s and they put in the time and the work and you throw an Ainsley in there to help us and we knew if we worked hard this year we could get to the state tournament,” West High coach Mary Goodfellow said. “They worked so hard and for kids that never played golf before three years ago it’s phenomenal.”
Wilson was the leader for the Trojans.
She had seven birdies in a four-under-par 68 on Thursday to take a one-stroke leader over Linn-Mar senior Morgan Rupp into the final round.
Rupp shot an even-par 72 on Friday and finished with a 36-hole total of 141 to win her third consecutive Class 4A state title.
Rupp finished with a 36-hole total of 141 to edge Wilson by a single stroke for the individual crown.
Wilson closed with a two-over-par 74 on Friday.
“I played really well yesterday but I just wasn’t on my game today and I didn’t play as well,” Wilson said.
Starting on the back nine on Friday, Wilson opened with a 37 after a bogey on the par-fourth 18th.
She closed with a 37 on the front nine, posting a birdie on the par-five sixth before a bogey on the par-three eighth.
“I was just less nervous yesterday and my putting was a lot better yesterday,” Wilson said. “I was making everything.”
The runner-up finish capped an impressive season for Wilson that included a Mississippi Valley Conference divisional title and a regional title.
“Everything she got this year she deserved,” Goodfellow said of Wilson. “I don’t know anybody who works harder.”
Junior Lily Schmid and senior Gretchen Van Iddekinge each improved their scores in their second rounds at the state tournament on Friday.
Schmid shot a day-two 87 to finish with a 175 while Van Iddekinge also closed with an 87 on Friday to post a 36-hole total of 185.
Sophie Bodin shot a 195 and Lily Collier shot a 212 for the Trojans.
“Having my teammates made it so fun,” Wilson said. “It wouldn’t have been as fun at all without them.”
Class 4A State Meet
At Pleasant Valley Golf Course in Iowa City
Team scores – 1. Ames 318-315 – 633; 2. Waukee Northwest 309-325 – 634; 3. Pleasant Valley 320-314 – 634; 4. Cedar Rapids Washington 331-336 – 667; 5. Western Dubuque 333-341 – 674; 5. Cedar Falls 347-327 – 674; 7. Norwalk 330-345 – 675; 8. Bettendorf 337-349 – 686; 9. Indianola 347-346 – 693; 10. West High 350-347 – 697
Individual leaders – 1. Morgan Rupp (Linn-Mar) 69-72 – 141; 2. Ainsley Wilson (West High) 68-74 – 142; 3. Natalie Henson (Marshalltown) 74-71 – 145; 4. Kylie Wachtl (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 71-75 – 146; 5. Kylie Wachtl (Cedar Rapids Prairie) 71-75 – 146; 6. Adalyn Wiig (Waukee Northwest) 72-74 – 146; 7. Saleah Vivanh Vong (Des Moines East/North) 74-75 – 149; 8. Jane Petersen (Cedar Rapids Washington) 73-77 – 150; 9. Emersen Motl (Ames) 77-75 – 152; 10. Rylee Brockhouse (Muscatine) 77-76 – 153; 11. Macy Button (Ames) 80-74 – 154; 12. Liliana Graham (Bettendorf) 78-77 – 155; 13. Bree Stegall (Waterloo West) 82-74 – 156; 14. Molly Ratchford (Cedar Falls) 85-72 – 157; 15. CeCe Ball (Western Dubuque) 77-80 – 157
West High (697) – 2. Ainsley Wilson 68-74 – 142; 43. Lily Schmid 88-87 – 175; 59. Gretchen Van Iddekinge 98-87 – 185; 63. Sophie Bodin 96-99 – 195; 67. Lily Collier 109-103 – 212; 70. Rylee DeSaulniers 109-116 – 225
Liberty High – 50. Lila Bowman 91-89 – 180
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