OTTUMWA — Over the last two days, Braxton Coble’s score has been right at the top of the card for the Ottumwa boys golf team.

Coble has posted the second-best round for his team each round, but the sophomore knows he and almost all of his teammates still have room to improve.

“Everyone could play better right now, except for Matthew,” Coble joked.

Matthew Walker, the only Bulldog to fire better rounds than Coble over the last 48 hours, led the way again for Ottumwa in their first CIML Metro dual of the season. The two-over-par round of 37 fired by the junior led the way to a 32-shot win over Des Moines East, 159-191, Tuesday at the Ottumwa Country Club course.

And even if his teammates don’t think he needs it, Walker is working just as hard each day to fine tune his game and lower his scores. According to head coach Scott Maas, it’s proving to be the ultimate case of leading by example.

“Matthew and a couple of guys already have been out there practicing after this meet and other meets this year,” Maas said. “A lot of the guys piled out of the van at 7:30 when we got back from Ames and started working again out on the course or on the range.

“I don’t have to remind them too much to keep working on improving their games. You never hit the golf ball exactly the way you want to each time, but the guys are good about identifying some of those shots that didn’t go and head out to the range to work on them.”

Tuesday’s win came after Ottumwa’s toughest day of a very successful fall season. The Bulldogs finished fifth after being beaten by just one team through four meets of the season at the tough Ames Invitational.

Like Monday, the Bulldogs had a second opponent to contend with in the form of continuous wind gusts Tuesday. Maas saw that as a major positive for his team to learn to battle with over consecutive days of play.

“I wouldn’t say anybody was really happy with how they played in terms of putting up low rounds, but they hung in there and put some decent scores up despite the conditions,” Maas said. “We don’t know what the weather’s going to be like when we get to districts or, hopefully, when we get to state. The guys just have to go out and play and not make any excuses.”

Walker continued his impressive run of success, leading Ottumwa for the fourth straight meet in a run that includes a pair of meet medalist honors and a top-10 individual finish Monday in Ames. Coble, coming off a 16th-place finish on Monday in Ames, shared runner-up honors Tuesday against the Scarlets with teammate Joe Wetrich after both fired five-over-par 40s as the sophomore continued to build on his newfound momentum.

“It gave me confidence that I can help my teammates out whenever it’s needed,” Coble said of Monday’s finish at Ames. “That’s what really has given me confidence the last two days.”

Maas will be looking to get several players the same kind of confidence boost later this week as Ottumwa (26-5, 1-0) plays for the third time in four days in their first CIML Metro road dual Thursday. Several young Bulldog golfers will compete at Des Moines North while players like Walker, Coble and Wetrich will prepare for Friday’s Marshalltown Invitational.

“It’s definitely important to get those young guys some playing experience. It’s one thing to come out here and play with your friends in practice, it’s another to compete when all your shots count and everyone’s watching,” Maas said. “It’s a whole different ballgame with a different atmosphere. The more we can get these guys out here to play, the better off we’ll be on down the road.”

“We’re looking forward to the Marshalltown Invitational this Friday. That’s what we’re really focusing on,” Coble added.

Coble’s successful day on the links was helped along by teammate Jacob Gardner, who kept things light during and after their round. Gardner finished off a round of 42 by matching Coble with a par on the ninth, saving a shot by sinking a long putt from just off the green that easily could have doubled as an incredible closing birdie.

“That was for par. Don’t give me too much credit. That was just a par,” Gardner said.

“Darn it Jacob. You should have had a birdie,” Coble joked in response.

Des Moines East-Ottumwa dual meet

At Ottumwa Country Club

9/11/12

Par 35

Team scoring — 1. Ottumwa 159, 2. Des Moines East 191.

Medalist — Matthew Walker (Ottumwa) 37.

Runner-up — Braxton Coble (O) and Joe Wetrich (O) 40.

Ottumwa individuals — Walker 37, Coble 40, Wetrich 40, Jacob Gardner 42, Dillon Patritto 42, Brandon Lein 48.

East individuals — Joey Bahnsen 44, Lucas Roberts 48, Mason Rhoades 49, Tyler Aswegan 50, Jeffery Rangel 50, Dillion Glass 52.

Ottumwa JV individuals — Ian Kubble 43, Gavin Dostal 45, Anthony Roberts 45, Jacob Bjerke 47, Jack Hardie 47, Jack Langland 52, Zach Grooms 62, Riley Maas 62, Brandon Hankins 63, Shane Wolfley 64.

East JV individuals — Daniel Holsted 62.