The 2024 All-Shawnee County boys golf team, from left -- Myles Alonzo, Topeka West; Tagen Rodriguez, Hayden; James Kuta, Hayden; Rich Helmbold, Cair Paravel/Topeka High; Jack Donovan, Rossville; Cam Zimlich, Washburn Rural; Tadd Armstrong, Washburn Rural. Not pictured: Bryce Badsky, Silver Lake; Ayden Valdivia, Shawnee Heights; Zach Weir, Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Four-time first-team selections Myles Alonzo of Topeka West and Bryce Badsky of Silver Lake headline the 2024 All-Shawnee County boys golf team.
Alonzo, who swept city, United Kansas Conference and Class 5A regional titles, capped his high school career with his third individual medal in the 5A state tournament while Mid-East League champ Badsky earned his fourth straight medal in the 3A state meet.
Bryce Badsky, Silver Lake
Washburn Rural, which won its 14th straight city team championship, is represented on the All-Shawnee County team by senior Cam Zimlich and junior Tadd Armstrong while Hayden put juniors James Kuta and Tagen Rodriguez on the first team after finishing fourth in the 3A state tournament.
Also named to the all-county first team were Cair Paravel Latin/Topeka High senior Rich Helmbold, whch led CPLS to a third-place team finish in 2A, Rossville sophomore 3A state medalist Jack Donovan, Shawnee Heights 5A sophomore state qualifier Ayden Valdivia and Seaman senior 5A state participant Zach Weir.
All-Shawnee County capsules:
MYLES ALONZO, Topeka West -- A senior, Alonzo shot a 36-hole score of 154 to tie for 11th in the Class 5A state tournament, earning his third state medal. Alonzo won his first city championship by four strokes with a 27-hole score of 117, won the United Kansas Conference title with a 73 and shot a school-record 66 to take medalist honors in regional competition.
TADD ARMSTRONG, Washburn Rural -- Armstrong, a junior, helped Washburn Rural capture its 14th straight city team title and a team berth in the Class 6A state meet with a runnerup regional finish. Armstrong finished fourth in the city meet (126 for 27 holes), tied for fith in the Centennial League (79) and tied for 11th at regionals (86).
BRYCE BADSKY, Silver Lake -- Badsky, a senior, finished third in the Class 3A state tournament with a 36-hole score of 151 (76-75), earning his fourth straight state medal. Badsky took medalist honors in the Mid-East League tournament with an 81 to lead the Eagles to the team title and posted a third-place regional finish with a 73.
JACK DONOVAN, Rossville -- A sophomore, Donovan earned an individual medal in the Class 3A state tournament, placing 20th with a 36-hole score of 162. Donovan finished third individually in the Mid-East League tournament with an 86 and placed fourth in 3A regional competition with a 74 to earn a state tournament berth.
RICH HELMBOLD, Topeka High/Cair Paravel -- Helmbold, a senior, placed sixth in the Class 2A state tournament with a 36-hole score of 154 (76-78) to help Cair Paravel Latin finish third as a team. Helmbold competed for Topeka High in the regular season and for CPLS in postseason. Helmbold finished seventh in the Centennial League (81) and second at 2A regionals (78).
JAMES KUTA, Hayden -- A junior, Kuta tied for 14th in the Class 3A state tournament with a 36-hole score of 159 (73-86), helping Hayden finish fourth as a team. Kuta tied for eighth in the Centennial League meet (82), placed 10th in the city tournament (132 for 27 holes) and tied for 11th in 3A regional competition (83) as the Wildcats finished second as a team.
TAGEN RODRIGUEZ, Hayden -- Rodriguez, a junior, tied for 23rd place in the Class 3A state tournament with a 36-hole score of 164 (83-81) as the Wildcats finished fourth as a team. Rodriguez took third in the city meet (122 for 27 holes), tied for fifth in the Centennial League (79) and tied for eighth at regionals (78) as Hayden earned a state team berth.
AYDEN VALDIVIA, Shawnee Heights -- A sophomore, Valdivia tied for fifth in Class 5A regional competition with a 77, helping the T-Birds earn a state team berth with a third-place team finish. Valdivia tied for sixth in the city meet (130 for 27 holes) and tied for 19th in the United Kansas Conference meet (88) as Heights finished second in the team standings.
ZACH WEIR, Seaman -- Weir, a senior, qualified for the Class 5A state tournament as an individual, shooting a 77 in regional competition to finish in a tie for fifth place. Weir advanced to the second round of the state tournament with an opening 18-hole score of 81 and finished in a tie for 52nd place with a 36-hole score of 178.
CAM ZIMLICH, Washburn Rural -- A senior, Zimlich shot an 82 in Class 6A regional competition to tie for sixth place and help Washburn Rural advance to state as a team with a second-place finish. Zimlich placed 14th in the Centennial League tournament with an 83 and shot an 86 in the first round of the 6A state tournament.
2024 ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY BOYS GOLF
First team
Myles Alonzo, sr., Topeka West; Tadd Armstrong, jr., Washburn Rural; Bryce Badsky, sr., Silver Lake; Jack Donovan, so., Rossville; Rich Helmbold, sr., Topeka High/Cair Paravel Latin; James Kuta, jr., Hayden; Tagen Rodriguez, jr., Hayden; Ayden Valdivia, so., Shawnee Heights; Zach Weir, sr., Seaman; Cam Zimlich, sr., Washburn Rural.
Second team
Caleb Cleverdon, so., Topeka High/Cair Paravel Latin; Jensen Crawford, sr., Shawnee Heights; Hayden Glynn, sr., Washburn Rural; Nick Gorman, jr., Hayden; Tanner Kasprzyk, sr., Washburn Rural; Tagan Monasmith, jr., Washburn Rural; Colin Scott, jr., Hayden; Bradley Williamson, jr, Seaman; Michael Wilson, so., Washburn Rural.
