STATE CENTER - Kevin Trobaugh had a top finish of ninth at the NICL West boys' golf conference meet.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck also had a run of back-to-back runner-up team finishes.
That was until Monday.
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T-R PHOTO BY MARK PAWLAK
Gladbrook-Reinbeck freshman Bradon Trepp, above, putts the ball toward the cup on No. 10 during Monday’s NICL West conference meet in State Center. The Rebels were the team champions at Lincoln Valley Golf Course.
The senior Trobaugh took individual medalist honors with his 78 at Lincoln Valley Golf Course.
The Rebels carded a 333 total to outdistance a trio of teams that shot 350 (Grundy Center, BCLUW, South Hardin).
"This is my best finish by far, I'm happy with it," Trobaugh said.
"It was good to win conference (as a team)," he added. "We haven't done it in my career. It was nice to get it my senior year. We played really well and got a good contribution from our sixth, that was a big help. 333 is not too bad at this course on a windy day like this."
Each of Gladbrook-Reinbeck's scoring four finished in the individual top 9. Freshman Bradon Trepp, out of the No. 6 spot, shot 84 and won a four-hole playoff for fourth overall.
"We've got four seniors out of the top six," said Gladbrook-Reinbeck head coach Chad Bixby. "We have great senior leadership and a lot of experience from those kids."
"We were the favorites coming in I'd say by other people, but I wasn't really sure," he added. "We haven't played real well of late. I'm proud of these kids, they pulled through and won it."
Jacob Smoldt finished seventh at 85 and Brady Billerbeck ninth at 86 for G-R.
Trepp put away his driver and started using his 3-wood to start getting a roll and parring holes, Bixby said.
Trobaugh had a pair of birdies and four pars on his 2-over 39 on the front nine at Lincoln Valley. He had four pars and a birdie for a 39 on the back nine.
"The wind hurt you on a lot more holes than I thought it would," Trobaugh said. "I just tried to play my game and keep it going."
The fifth score separated the pack at 350 with Grundy Center taking second, BCLUW third and South Hardin fourth.
Grundy Center's Lane Bangasser recorded an 80 - tied for second-lowest on the day - and finished third after a playoff. Sam Thompson shot 88 for the Spartans and Ryon Appel 89. The Spartans' final score was a 93, carded by each Elliot Eggleston, Nathan Graham and Nick Saak.
Logan Simpson led BCLUW with his 86 and won a playoff for eighth. Cole Thompson added an 87, Chad Frazer 88 and Collin McAteer 89.
South Hardin's Sam Priske finished fifth overall at 86. Tyson Smith and Spencer Welch added 87s for the Tigers.
East Marshall's 359 claimed fifth in the team race. The Mustangs' Tyler Sawyer shot 84 for fifth individually. Sawyer had the best front nine of the meet with an ever-par 37.
West Marshall landed sixth (370), South Tama seventh (371) and AGWSR eighth (372).
Kolton Smith of South Tama gained runner-up medalist honors with his 80.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck opens the postseason on Friday in a sectional hosted by Grundy Center.
"Hopefully this gives us a little momentum. We haven't won conference since 2006 so it's a big win for us," Bixby said. "Going into sectionals we drop down a class this year to 1A. We get to go to Grundy Center on Friday and hopefully play well there."