Kellen Clausen earns state berth as Ridge View, Storm Lake miss team cut

Kellen Clausen and Trey Boettcher carried Buena Vista County golf into the state picture on a day when both Ridge View and Storm Lake were forced to sweat the smallest of margins.

Clausen shot a 2-under-par 68 at National Golf Course in Carroll, tying Ridge View’s school record for an 18-hole low and finishing as the meet runner-up in Class 2A district play. His round was enough to send him on to the Iowa High School Athletic Association boys state tournament in Waterloo, even as the Raptors finished fourth with a 305 and fell just outside the three team qualifying spots. Unity Christian, Central Lyon and Rock Valley each posted 301s and claimed the team berths.

Ridge View’s score also reflected the depth that has fueled the program’s rise. Ty Clausen shot 77, Drew Burk and Reid Stricklett each carded 80s, and Robert Forristal and Leo Nedved both added 81s. The Raptors had entered district play riding momentum from a 297 victory at the Western Valley Conference meet in Le Mars, and their 2025 team trip to state had already marked the first such qualification in school history.

Storm Lake came even closer to sending a full lineup to Waterloo. At Orange City, the Tornadoes finished with a 316, one stroke behind Spencer’s 315 for the last team qualifying spot in Class 3A. MOC-Floyd Valley won the district with a 284, followed by Okoboji at 304 and Spencer at 315. Trey Boettcher still earned his own state berth with a 77, adding to a run that has kept him near the top of the local golf conversation.

The Tornadoes’ margin was especially painful because their postseason path had already shown how narrow the line could be. Storm Lake shot 330 at its May 14 sectional at BVU Lake Creek to advance, and Boettcher tied for fifth there individually with a 79 before lowering that number again in district play. Carson Taylor, Chase Mathistad, Jayden Butler, Cam Boyd and Bobby Boeckman all contributed to the 316 that left Storm Lake one shot short.

The state tournament is scheduled for May 26 and 27 in Waterloo, with Classes 2A and 3A playing at Gates Park Golf Course. Clausen and Boettcher will represent the county on a stage where every stroke will count, after a district day that showed just how little separates a team trip from an individual breakthrough.