Cougars claim Division IV state golf title

by Malcolm Butler

After finishing in third place in last year’s Division IV state tournament, Cedar Creek head coach Gene Vandenlangenberg thought his Cougars would be in for another tough competition this year.

However, Creek ran away and hid from the rest of the competition as the Cougars captured the school’s first boys team title in golf since 2013 with a 40-plus stroke victory over the field at at Farm d’ Allie Golf Club in Carencro Monday and Tuesday.

“It’s humbling and surreal,” said longtime Creek head coach Gene Vandenlangenberg, who won his first state title as a head coach at the school. “Deep down as you get older, you know these opportunities don’t come along very often. These kids have etched their names in the history of Cedar Creek. It’s a lifetime deal. I told our kid they can never take it away from you.”

After building a 12 stroke lead over Sacred Heart and an 18 stroke lead over Castor following Monday’s opening round, the Cougars posted a second round team total of 313 to lap the field. Sacred Heart was the runner-up, finishing 42 strokes behind the Cougars.

“These two rounds were two of our best of the year, and they came with the most on the line,” said Vandenlangenberg. “This was a fun group to coach this year. They really believed and they had high expectations. I was shocked by the margin we won by. Our guys were so steady and they answered the call.”

Junior Alex Roebuck, who captured the Division IV individual title last year, led Cedar Creek with a four-over-par 36-hole total of 148, good for second place. Berchman’s Academy’s Ivan Pop won the individual title with a seven-under-par total of 137.

“Alex played really, really well,” said Vandenlangenberg. “He just had one of those tournaments where he couldn’t get putts to fall. He struck the ball so well.”

The Cougars roster included one senior, one junior and three freshmen, but the youth movement didn’t impact Cedar Creek in the state tournament.

Freshman Jase Martin finished fifth with a two-round total of 11-over-par 155, while freshman George Pullin finished tied for eighth with a 163. Senior Cameron Temple tied for 13th with a 166. James Pullin rounded out the Cougar competitors with a 196 (42nd place).

Cedar Creek was one of two Lincoln Parish programs to compete in the Division IV state tournament as the Choudrant Aggies also qualified in only their second year of sponsoring a varsity program.

“We are very proud of our Lincoln Parish friends at Choudrant High,” said Vandenlangenberg. “Our kids and their kids really get along well. They truly pull for each other. I was so impressed with the Choudrant team and their kids. They represented their school in a first class manner.”