Poplar Bluff senior Josh Rathbun watches his tee and his shot Monday on No. 9 at Westwood Hills Country Club. (Brian Rosener/DAR)

By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor

Cameron West's round may not have counted toward his team's score Monday at the Poplar Bluff Invitational, but the junior still had something to show for it.

All five Mules earned a medal as they tore up Westwood Hills Country Club and the competition for a 22-stroke victory.

Poplar Bluff senior Corey Poteet tees off Monday on the 12th hole at Westwood Hills Country Club during the Poplar Bluff Invitational. Poteet finished fifth. (Brian Rosener/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

"I was very surprised and very pleased," Mules coach Billy Pyland said.

Trent Hillis shot a 1-under-par 69 to earn medalist honors and lead the Mules. Corey Poteet fired a 75 for fifth followed by Zack Stricker's 76. Josh Rathbun was tied for 10th at 80 while West finished tied for 12th with a round of 81.

Poplar Bluff's score of 300 beat Sikston (322), Dexter and Cape Central (325).

Last year the Mules, who went on to finish second at state, shot a 303 at the same event.

"That's a pretty good score," Hillis said. "The fourth and fifth man are probably the most important on the team just to keep the score that (low)."

Even without Hillis' card, the Mules could have won by 10 strokes.

Dexter's Chance Holden finished second overall with a 2-over 72 followed by Sikeston's Mark Fraser at 73 and a 74 by Cape Central's Tim Simmons. Van Buren's Zane Betz also earned a medal with a 79.

Pyland was impressed that Hillis was able to finish under par considering the wet condition of the course.

"Definitely not a lot of yardage (on fairway bounces) and you've got to chip it and putt it well," Pyland added. "Plus, it's thin lies out here and you can scull it easy."

Hillis showcased his short game on No. 18 when his second shot landed in front of a greenside bunker. The sophomore chipped onto the green, but below the hole, setting up an 8-foot putt for birdie, his third of the day.

Hillis saved par on his first eight holes before reaching the par-5 ninth in two to pick up a birdie. After a bogey on

"That was kind of the highlight of my day," Hillis said of getting up-and-down from 110 yards.

Poteet said he didn't hit a single fairway Monday and started his day par-bogey-double bogey thanks to consecutive three-putts. Still, the senior found a way to stay in the 70s with birdies on Nos. 4 and 6 before playing the back 9 at 2-over par.

After playing his first eight holes 1-over, Stricker ran into trouble on the back 9 but birdied No. 15 before saving par on his final three holes.

"Those guys have always been never-give-up kind of guys," Pyland said of his returning starters. "You never know what the field is shooting, that's the key."

Rathbun had birdies on Nos. 7 and 14 and finished his round with consecutive par saves while West had pars on half of his card.

"I think we're getting better," Poteet said. "Our fourth and fifth men are starting to play a little better. I think we're starting to get it together."

Westwood Hills played at par 70 Monday as No. 1 was shortened to a 112-yard par-3 after the recent rains left the fairway a muddy mess.

Dexter's fifth score by Dillon Demaree broke a tie with Cape Central for third with his round of 89-95.

Holden led the Bearcats starting his day with seven straight pars before a triple bogey on 12 and consecutive bogeys starting on 15. The sophomore who finished tied for 34th at state last year, played his final six holes 2-under with birdies on 18 and 2.

Clearwater's Tanner McKinney, who qualified for state as a freshman last year, shot an 85.

Kody Berrong led Doniphan with his 88 as the Dons finished ninth as a team with Taylor Smith and Mitch Granier each finishing at 92.

Jonah Brown led Poplar Bluff's Maroon team to an eighth-place finish with his 87. Alex Riffle (91), Tyler Shulse (92), Kyle Brooks (96) and Taylor Price (97) gave the Maroon Mules a 366, 10 strokes behing Jackson.

"The main thing in golf is just being consistent," Pyland said. "That's one of the things we're trying to get."