Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Ty Mericle of St. Edmond putts on Wednesday at Lakeside during the CYO boys golf tournament. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

Ty Mericle took advantage of competing on his home course and near-perfect golfing conditions to secure a Top-5 finish here on Wednesday at the CYO boys tournament.

Mericle led St. Edmond, which was fourth overall. Carroll Kuemper claimed the team title with a 305 followed by Le Mars Gehlen, Bishop Garrigan, the Gaels and Remsen St. Mary’s at Lakeside Golf Course.

The Knights held off Le Mars Gehlen by five shots for the team title behind medalist Jack Lenz, as he carded a 74. Teammate Brenton Loeffelholz was second with a 76 followed by a series of golfers, including Mericle, who all had 77s.

Carroll Kuemper also won the girls championship, as the Golden Bears were second by eight strokes. Sioux City Heelan, Remsen St. Mary’s, Le Mars Gehlen and St. Edmond rounded out the standings.

Mericle, a junior, had a 38 on the front nine behind a birdie on No. 5 and five pars. He followed that up with six pars on the back, shooting a 39 there for a 77 total.

“Ty had a really nice round,” SEHS boys head coach Matt Dillon said. “He did a good job of avoiding a bad hole and was just solid all day.

“We hadn’t played an 18-hole tournament yet this year and I think that kind of caught up to us as the round went on. But we’ll learn from this and improve as we move toward the postseason.”

St. Edmond’s Jack McElroy placed 16th with an 86. Recent Upper Iowa University basketball commit Hunter Horn was 20th with a 91.

Griffin Laufersweiler fired a 93, Kinnick Henning had a 94 and Maxxus Laufersweiler a 95.

Bishop Garrigan’s Gage Meyer was 13th with an 80, Michael Joyce carded an 83 to place 15th and Carter Schwab took 17th with an 86. Meyer had a birdie on No. 3 and nine pars during his round.

Lenz had a 36 on the front, highlighted by a birdie on the par-3, 197-yard No. 2. He also had birdies on Nos. 12 and 16.

Carroll Kuemper’s Addy Beiter topped Gabby Buscher from Bishop Garrigan for girls medalist honors, firing a round of 81 to an 83 by Buscher. Addison Kuper was third and Lucy Eisenbarth sixth for the Golden Bears.

Buscher shot a 38 on the front with a birdie and five pars, following that up with a birdie on No. 13 of the back. Kuper had a birdie on No. 7 with five pars. Eisenbarth recorded three pars.

For St. Edmond, Ann Veneziano carded the low round with a 127 to place 29th overall. She was followed by Abby Webster in 31st with a 128, Kaci McGonegle in 32nd with a 134, Ashlyn Swisher in 33rd with a 136, Irelyn Derrig in 34th with a 137 and Abby Tofolin in 36th with a 141.

“I think the girls continue to progress and become more consistent each time out,” SEHS girls head coach Maury Ruble said. “Our greatest challenge right now is our own confidence. That will come with more experience, but they need to start believing that they’re capable of stringing together good shots and finishing holes.

“I was pleased with the overall effort. Golf can be a humbling game. These kids have great attitudes and are very resilient.”

Veneziano had a par on No. 14 and cut 11 strokes off her back-nine score compared to the front side. Webster had a par on on the first hole.