RHODES – Six teams teed it up in Tuesday’s Ballard Invitational, but, really, the most anticipated storyline involved only two.

And they delivered.

Ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in stroke average regardless of class according to information entered into the quikstats database, Webster City and Gilbert went shot for shot on the pristine grounds of The Harvester Golf Club.

WCHS, the 2015 Class 3A state champion and holder of the lowest stroke average through the first two weeks of the season, fended off the Tigers by a mere two strokes, 312-314, to claim its second consecutive Ballard Invite title on the 6,840-yard, par-72 track.

“It was a nice, fun event,” WCHS head coach Dave Brighton, who tried to downplay the rivalry, said. “(Gilbert) played well and we played pretty well and the course was in beautiful shape.”

Although not in the same conference, WCHS and Gilbert are likely to become quite familiar with one another this spring. They will be housed in the same sectional tournament at the Tournament Club of Iowa in Polk City next month, and most likely at the district at the Ames Golf and Country Club as well.

“We were basically acting like it was our sectional,” WCHS senior Alec Fuhs said. “Beating Gilbert was obviously big because we know they’re going to be a challenge down the road.”

Atlantic slotted into third with a 324, followed by Ballard (326), Nevada (335) and Creston (435).

Fuhs was solid from tee to green all day on his way to a runner-up medalist round of 1-over 73. He played alongside Gilbert No. 1 stick Garret Jensen, who earned the individual title with a sizzling 1-under 71.

Jensen moved to 4-under after 10 holes before slipping back on the final eight holes of the inward nine.

“It was a fun round and I always like playing with solid competition,” Fuhs, who was third at the 2015 state tournament, two shots ahead of Jensen, said. “We were firing at pins all day.”

Twin brother Avery Fuhs and Ballard’s Sage Fitchko fired 77’s; Avery Fuhs took third on the card-back.

Gilbert’s Ty Austin (78) was fifth.

“Alec played very well,” Brighton said. “Avery is struggling a little bit with his putting right now, but he’ll find it and be fine.”

It was the Lynx depth that paid big dividends in the team race. Drew Fielder (80) and Nathan Ferrell (82) gave WCHS four solid counting scores. Connor Shannon (83) and Sean Vogelbacher (85) weren’t far off the pace, even though their scores were thrown out.

For Ferrell and Shannon, this was a key step they needed to take as they acclimate themselves to the varsity stage. Brighton says it will only help when the postseason rolls around.

“It’s extremely important to get those guys the competition early in the season because we will need to count on them later in the season,” Brighton said. “We’ve got to play people that are good in order to beat them at the end of the season.”