Emporia High’s seniors were newborn or soon-to-be-born the last time the Spartans sent their girls golf team to State. That streak will finally end next week.
EHS qualified for State for the first time in 18 years on Monday, placing third at the regional tournament. Led by Maryann Bennett’s 102, the Spartans shot a 433 to end their 18-year drought on the rainy Emporia Municipal Golf Course, coming in behind Andover Central’s 415 and Hutchinson’s 417. The top three teams in the regional advance to state, along with the top five individual finishers not on the top three squads.
“It feels like it’s been longer than that,” EHS coach Rick Eckert said. “It’s been a long haul, but this is a great reward for the girls, because they did a great job, and they fought so hard today under the conditions we played under. I mean, it was almost borderline absurd out there, but they fought through it, they did a good job and we qualified.”
Bennett’s 102 was good for the sixth-place medal. Melissa Heinitz shot a 107 to finish ninth, and Hannah Watkins (111) and Makenzie Harder (113) rounded out Emporia’s scoring with 11th- and 12th-place finishes. Rachael Clopton shot a 123 to finish 17th, and Kelsey Burenheide finished 30th with a 158. All six will be headed to Salina Municipal Golf Course next Monday for state competition.
“It was definitely the goal,” Bennett said. “We worked hard this year, and it’s going to be an exciting thing going to state, because it’s totally new to all of us. So it should be good.”
Eckert said at the beginning of the year that getting to State was a legitimate possibility. Now that the Spartans are there, he believes finishing in the top half of the field is something to shoot for.
“That would be fantastic for us,” he said, “and I believe it’s a realistic possibility for us, too.”
Madison Wiles of Hutchinson won the individual first-place medal, firing a 93. Valley Center finished in fourth place with a 464, with Newton (521) and Great Bend (636) rounding out the team scores.
Council Grove wins regional
After missing State last year for the first time in eight years, Council Grove will be headed back this year after winning its regional on Monday at Osage City Country Club.
The Braves earned first place with a team score of 462, led by Megan Keplar’s second-place 99. Rhiannon Downes shot a 110 to finish sixth, Nicole Peterson shot a 124 and Hannah Vondemkamp carded a 129. Council Grove finished two strokes ahead of Rossville and eight ahead of Silver Lake.
Osage City qualified three individual golfers at Monday’s regional: Shonda Thompson, who finished third by shooting a 105; Alison Thompson, whose 120 was good for ninth; and Liza Mussatto, who shot a 123 for 11th place.
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