By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
WAMEGO -- Just two tournaments into the 2025 high school boys golf season, Washburn Rural coach Jared Goehring knows his Junior Blues still have a lot of work left to do.
But Goehring likes what he's seen so far, including a solid performance in Thursday's 15-school Washburn Rural Great Plains Classic at Wamego Country Club.
The Junior Blues finished ninth as a team in the top-heavy field, but were just three strokes out of a top-five finish.
Washburn Rural senior Tadd Armstrong, lining up a chip, shot a 79 for the Junior Blues in Thursday's Great Plains Classic. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Tadd Armstrong led Rural's top team with a 79, while freshman Wyatt Dean also carded a 79 while playing for the Junior Blues' Gray team.
Juniors Michael Wilson and Higgins Hawks added 81s for Rural while sophomore Camden Ismert shot an 82.
"We're off to a good start,'' Goehring said. "Spring golf in the state of Kansas for boys, it's tough, and the guys have got to be able to handle conditions like today (heavy winds) and they've got to be able to handle their emotions.
"I like our lineup. I think our lineup has a lot of potential. We've got four seniors on our team who have all played in some big tournaments before, so we're going to rely on them for their leadership and experience, but we've also got some young players as evident of a freshman (Dean) today with a 79.''
Hayden senior James Kuta shot an 81 in Thursday's Great Plains Classic. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hayden senior James Kuta shot an 81 and Wildcat senior Nick Gorman an 85 while junior Ayden Valdivia led Shawnee Heights with an 83.
Manhattan won the team title by a 303-309 margin over Shawnee Mission South while Blue Valley Northwest was third at 316.
Manhattan freshman Charlie Haney was the individual medalist with a 73.
Washburn Rural Great Plains Classic
At Wamego Country Club
Team scores
Manhattan 303, Shawnee Mission South 309, Blue Valley Northwest 316, Free State 317, Olathe South 324, Blue Valley West 324, St. Thomas Aquinas 324, Shawnee Mission East 325, Washburn Rural 327, Mill Valley 328, Lawrence 333, Olathe West 334, Emporia 336, Shawnee Heights 367.
Individual results
1. Charley Haney, Manhattan, 73; 2. Zac Patykiewicz, Blue Valley Northwest, 75; 3. (tie) Jackson Powers, Manhattan; Thomas House, Shawnee Mission South; Cade Cochran, Manhattan; Parker Bennett, Blue Valley West; A.J. Kimzey, Free State, Jackson Sprecker, Mill Valley, 76; 9. (tie) Sam Deneke, Olathe South; Dylan Harsch, Blue Valley Northwest; Cormac O'Keefe, Olathe West; Henry Coughlin, Shawnee South, 77.
Washburn Rural -- Tadd Armstrong 79, Wyatt Dean 79; Michael Wilson 81, Higgins Hawks 81, Camden Ismert 82, Brady Goeden 86; Tagan Monasmith 86; Peyton Goehring 87, Sam Brumley 88; Keaton Stoner 91; Xoaquin Overbey 95; Jackson Noller 96.
Shawnee Heights -- Ayden Valdivia 83, Logan Hahn 87, Dylan Packard 98, Connor Knernschield 99. Carter Freeman 110.
Hayden -- James Kuta 81, Nick Gorman 85.
