By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's golf team turned in a solid performance in Monday's Centennial League tournament at Village Greens Golf Course, with five Junior Blues shooting in the 80s.
But it wasn't enough to top Emporia, which rode a one-two-three individual finish by the Eckert sisters to win its first-ever Centennial team championship by a 332-340 margin over the Junior Blues.
Washburn Rural senior Avery Scott, launching her tee shot on a par-3 hole Monday at Village Greens, finished fourth in the Centennial League tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Raegan Petersen slips an approach shot past a tree Monday at Village Greens in the Centennial League tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"You've got to tip your hat, they played great golf today,'' Washburn Rural coach Jared Goehring said of Emporia. "That' spretty solid, 78, 79, 82 at the top of their lineup. I'm proud of our girls, we just didn't have enough today.''
Emporia senior Avary Eckert shot a 78 to win her second straight league individual title while her twin sister Olivia finished second with a 79 and freshman Elise Eckert was third with an 82.
"Everybody did what they needed to do,'' Emporia coach Rick Eckert said. "Avary and Olivia played very consistently. We played the back nine first and they were nervous and had a hard time getting their rhythm going but they eventually got it established and they both played really well on the front, which was their back nine.
"And Elise was just consistent all day. She made some really huge putts and I can't be more proud of her as a freshman coming in and doing that. She really did a nice job.''
Senior Avery Scott finished fourth individually with an 83 to lead Washburn Rural while Junior Blue senior Mallory Nelson placed fifth with an 84.
Rural junior Raegan Petersen (86) tied for sixth and finished eighth in a scorecard playoff while sophomore Natalie Peterson (87) tied for ninth and finished 10th in a scorecard playoff to round out the Junior Blues' top four.
The Junior Blues have two more regular-season meets to get ready for postseason.
"We just want to shore things up and ideally we want to be playing our best golf in October,'' Goehring said. "We'll keep plugging away and keep working on fixing our mistakes because a lot of it is around the greens that we can shore up and get ready for postseason.''
Hayden finished third as a team, one stroke ahead of Manhattan (354-355), with juniors Hannah Reynoldson and Avery Grunert both shooting 86s to finish sixth and seventh and freshman Izzy Glotzbach (87) finishing ninth in a scorecard playoff.
Topeka High junior Avery Zimmerman shot an 89 to tie for 13th and finished 15th in a scorecard playoff.
Washburn Rural freshman Lauren Cox competed as an individual Monday, shooting an 81.
CENTENNIAL LEAGUE GOLF TOURNAMENT
At Village Greens
Team scores
Emporia 332, Washburn Rural 340, Hayden 354, Manhattan 355, Manhattan 481.
Individual results
1. A. Eckert, Emporia, 78; 2. O. Eckert, Emporia, 79; 3. E. Eckert, Emporia, 82; 4. Scott, Washburn Rural, 83; 5. Nelson, Washburn Rural, 84; 6. Reynoldson, Hayden, 86 (won scorecard playoff); 7. Grunert, Hayden, 86 (won scorecard playoff); 8. Petersen, Washburn Rural, 86; 9. Glotzbach, Hayden 87 (won scorecard playoff); 10. Peterson, Washburn Rural, 87; 11. Bahr, Manhattan; 88 (won scorecard playoff); 12. Lagabed, Manhattan, 88; 13. Ball, Manhattan, 89 (won scorecard playoff); 14. Smith, Washburn Rural, 89 (won scorecard playoff); 15. Zimmerman, Topeka High, 89; 16. Wisdom, Manhattan, 90; 17. Randall, Washburn Rural, 92; 18. Kim, Manhattan, 93 (won scorecard playoff).
Other Hayden -- Borjon 95, Johnson 98, Allphin 106.
Other Topeka High -- Bernal 127, Carr 128, Carpenter 142, Custenborder 147.
