Valparaiso makes it two in a row

Updated: May 7, 2011 9:38PM

RENSSELAER — Valparaiso added another invitational championship to its pile on Saturday.

The Vikings defended their title at the Rensselaer Invitational, eking out a one-stroke victory over Twin Lakes with a score of 312. Crown Point finished third with a score of 323.

It’s the second straight tournament win for the Vikings. They won the Aberdeen Invitational last week with a score of 315.

Valparaiso coach Wayne Lichtenberger was happy to drive back up I-65 with the victory.

“We’ll take it and move on,” Lichtenberger said. “We just need to keep on working on getting that score a little lower.”

Next week, Valparaiso has a chance to go for three straight when it plays in the Uebele Invitational at Beechwood Golf Course in LaPorte, which is also the site of regionals.

It might not be quite as easy there. LaPorte, a team that has defeated the Vikings twice, gets to play on its home course. Further complicating the matter will be the fact that Logan Bertalan, Valparaiso’s No. 3 player, and Patrick Cowan, its No. 5 player, won’t be there. Both are going to the prom.

The Vikings got another solid effort from Kyle Meihofer on Saturday. Meihofer has been solid all season and shot a 1-over 73. Bobby Jacobs backed that up with a 75 and Bertalan finished with a 77.

Meihofer’s round took off on the first hole when he made a 50-foot putt for birdie. Since he has struggled lately with the putter, dropping the bomb was big for him.

“That gave me a boost,” he said.

He was solid the rest of the round, making one more birdie and three bogeys before he finished.

In general, Valparaiso got off to a strong start with its first three guys. After two holes, Bertalan, Jacobs and Meihofer were all 1-under.

Lichtenberger said they all “held it together” to bring home the victory.

The other two 73s on the board came from Nick Grubnich of Crown Point and Drake Devereux of Boone Grove.

Grubnich, who shot an 82 last week at Sandy Pines to take medalist honors at the Kankakee Valley Invitational, started with a couple of bogeys in his first three holes. But he recovered on the last 15.

Devereux, playing No. 2 for the Wolves, was steady all day, making two birdies and three bogeys.

“He was just real solid all day,” Boone Grove coach Gary King said. “There was nothing spectacular.”

Blake Russell of Twin Lakes finished with medalist honors, firing a 68. Jack Clancy of Marquette was second with a 71.

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