By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
All four Shawnee County schools that qualified their entire teams for girls state golf will move on to Tuesday's final day of competition, as well two of three individual qualifiers.
Washburn Rural, which finished second in the Class 6A state tournament a year ago, is in second place after the opening day with a four-person score of 325 at Salina Municipal Golf Course while Hayden, third as a team a year ago, is currently third in 4A at Emporia and Silver Lake third in the 3A-1A state meet at Hutchinson's Carey Park..
Regional champion Seaman is sitting fifth as a team in the 5A state event at Hesston Golf Course, with the top six teams in all classes advancing to Tuesday's final 18 holes.
The top 18 individuals also advanced to Tuesday's final round, with Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman moving on in 6A and Shawnee Heights junior Karlyn Bowman advancing in 5A.
Here's a class-by-class look at the state tournaments involving Shawnee County schools:
CLASS 6A
The Junior Blues finished Monday's opening roud with a season-low team score of 325, currently sitting second behind Olathe Northwest (318). Shawnee Mission East is third at 326.
Junior Raegan Petersen was one of three Washburn Rural players to shoot 81s in Monday's Class 6A state tournament. [File photo/TSN]
Junior Raegan Petersen, sophomore Reece Randall and freshman Lauren Cox all shot 81s Monday, tying for 12th individually.
"It was some underclassmen that had never experienced postseason golf before,'' Rural coach Jared Goehring said. "They had a great regional round and have now followed it up with a great first round in the state tournament on a difficult day with very difficult greens.''ti
Senior Mallory Nelson was right behind Petersen, Randall and Cox with an 82.while sophomore Natalie Peterson also shot in the 80s, carding an 88, and senior Avery Scott had a 90.
Goehring said the goal now is to relax and play another strong round on Tuesday.
"The pressure's not on us this year,'' Goehring said. "It's clearly an underdog that we've taken on and the whole team has really thrived on that, especially the younger ones. They've really developed the competitive style and the toughness that we like to see. They're taking it one shot at a time and doing their best to compete and try their hardest.''
Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman, also a state qualifier as a sophomore, moved on to the final round with an 85.
CLASS 5A
Regional champ Seaman will begin the final day of competition in fifth place as a team at Hesston Golf Course.
Seaman senior Lois Deeter, who has posted a pair of top-five Class 5A state finishes in her career, shot a 78 on Monday and is in sixth place entering Tuesday's final round. [File photo/TSN]
Seaman senior star Lois Deeter shot a 78 Monday and is in sixth place individually entering the second round. Deeter has posted a pair of top-five 5A finishes in her previous two state appearances.
Sophomore Avery Samuelson shot an 85 Monday, while sophomore Jaycee Zimmerman shot an 88.
Riley Adams and Makenna Stuke both carded 96s while Anna McLaughlin had a 101.
Shawnee Heights' Karlyn Bowman had a first-round 93 to move on to the final round while Topeka West' Alex Baxter had a 107.
CLASS 4A
Hayden will enter Tuesday's final round in the Class 4A tournament at Emporia Municipal in third place with a score of 390, 10 strokes behind second-place Winfield. Wamego is all alone at the top of the team race at 336.
Hayden junior Avery Grunert is sitting in 11th place in the Class 4A state tournament after shooting a first-round 93 on Monday. [Photo by Kyle Grunert/Special to TSN]
Junior Avery Grunert had Hayden's low round of the day, shooting a 93, and Grunert is in 11th place individually entering Day 2.
Junior Hannah Reynoldson and freshman Lauren Borjon both carded 98s, while freshman Izzy Glotzbach shot 101, junior Kyleigh Johnson a 106 and sophomore Addysen Baer a 111.
CLASS 3A-1A
Silver Lake earned the fourth and final team berth out of last Monday's 3A-1A regional but are sitting a solid third as a team after Monday's first round at Hutchinson's Carey Park.
Taylor Zordel
Eagle sophomore Taylor Zordel, a returning state medalist, shot a first-round 88 to lead the Eagles. Zordel will start the final round tied for ninth individually.
Silver Lake junior Madeline Fieger shot a 96, followed by senior Jaiden Whitehead with a 98, senior Tristyn Boxberger with a 99, junior Avri Broxterman with a 102 and junior Kate Osterhaus with a 109.
