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Posted on Thu, Oct 1, 2009 : 4:16 p.m.

Dexter grad Jordan Marken lifts Concordia golf out of basement; other locals succeeding at college sports

By Pete Cunningham

Since the inception of the Concordia men's golf program in 2004 the Cardinals have had sole occupancy of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference basement, finishing in last place in every tournament they’ve entered.

The Cardinals finally ended that dubious streak Monday, when they hosted a WHAC jamboree at Pheasant Run Golf Club in Canton ... sort of.

Concordia shot a 357, which tied Siena Heights for sixth place. Although the Cardinals didn’t technically beat anybody, they didn’t lose.

“We’ve kind of been hanging around all year and haven’t been able to get over that hump,” said Concordia coach Matt Distelrath. “It was nice to not finish in last, but we know we let some situations slip away from us still, and hopefully we can build from this.”

The Cardinals were paced Monday by freshman Jordan Marken, who finished tied for third after shooting a six-over-par 78. Marken, a Dexter grad, has been Concordia’s top scorer at every outing so far this season.

“Jordan’s been a great addition. He’s a local kid who we’ve been able to target as far as being a great golfer and great student,” said Distelrath.

Just as Concordia was on the cusp of exiting the WHAC basement, Marken was on the cusp of taking home his first individual title. Marken, who was 12th in the state individually on Dexter’s 2007 Division 2 state runner-up team, finished three strokes off the lead despite back-to-back blowup holes on the back nine.

“I took a seven on a par three and a six on a par four back to back. If I could have just taken a bogey on both I could have won it,” said Marken. “We were all pretty excited to not be in last. It’s kind of a breaking point and we’re hoping to take it one step better.

“It is a relief to know that I’m capable of taking first. I just need to stick to basics and play all 18 holes.”

OTHER NOTES

  • Sisters Kit and Lisa Masini, both Huron grads, faced off against each other in field hockey Saturday with the younger Lisa, a freshman midfielder at Dartmouth, getting the best of big sis’, a sophomore at Brown, as the Big Green beat the Bears 8-3. Both started for their respective teams with Kit registering an assist in the first half.
  • Huron grad Ali Oatley, a senior forward for Albion College’s women’s soccer team, had a goal and an assist in two games last week for the Britons.
  • The Calvin College men’s cross country team won a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Jamboree Saturday with Huron grad Matt Vander Roest contributing an eighth place finish. At 11th place, Deion Pruitt, also a Huron grad, was Albion College’s top finisher.
  • If you have information to share on other local athletes who have gone on to participate in college athletics, please send an e-mail to petercunningham@annarbor.com, or call 734-623-2561. Follow Pete Cunningham on Twitter @petcunningham.