By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
MAYETTA -- Shawnee Heights senior golf standout Alex Valdivia carded a 1-under-par 71 in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open to finish second among 64 players.
And if Valdivia had made a few more putts, an outstanding day could have been even better.
Shawnee Heights senior Alex Valdivia shot a 1-under-par 71 to finish second in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I couldn't putt, I wasn't putting well at all,'' Valdivia said. "I missed four putts that were about like three, three and a half feet. I was hitting it really well, I just couldn't putt.''
Topeka West junior Myles Alonzo also turned in a solid round on Tuesday, making birdie on his final hole to finish sixth with a 73.
opeka West junior Myles Alonzo shot a 73 Tuesday to place sixth in Tuesday's Firekeeper Open. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"I feel like the more I go on I'm getting way more consistent as far as hitting the fairway and hitting the green,'' Alonzo said. "I'm doing a lot more things way better than last year.''
Washburn Rural placed a city-high third as a team with a 302 total, led by senior Bryan Tyrell, who shot a career-best 74 to tie for seventh.
"I was hitting greens, I hit 15,'' Tyrell said. "I had a few three-putts, but hit my birdie putts. I'm feeling good. I was in a little slump a couple of weeks ago but I'm back to normal now and I've got the hot stick right now so it feels good.''
Rural also got a 75 from senior Brady Conard, a 76 from sophomore Tagan Monasmith and a 77 from senior Andrew Burdett to round out the Junior Blues' top four.
Rural finished with a 302 four-man score to finish behind team champion Shawnee Mission East (292) and runner-up Manhattan (295).
Shawnee Heights finished fourth as a team with a 311 total, with senior Tyler Lincoln shooting a 75, senior Aiden Jones a 77 and junior Zac Hohman an 88 to back Valdivia.
Seaman finished ninth in the team standings (346) and Topeka High 10th (431).
Sophomore Bradley Williamson led Seaman with an 82 while senior Luis Muniz Rodriguez led Topeka High with a 94.
Shawnee Mission East senior Thomas Gogel shot a 4-under 68 to claim the individual title by three strokes over Valdivia.
Santa Fe Trail junior Lane Workman tied for third individually with an even-par 72.
The Centennial League and United Kansas Conference tournaments are on tap next Monday, with the Centennial League meet at Lake Shawnee and the UKC tourney at Village Greens in Ozawkie. Both tournaments will get under way at 1 p.m.
The city tournament will be played next Thursday at Junction City.
Valdivia is the defending champion in the UKC and city meets.
"I'm definitely looking to win them again after I won them last year,'' Valdivia said. "If I can win as a junior, I can win as a senior, too.
"I definitely like where my game's trending right now.''
Alonzo was a regional champ last season as a sophomore, beating Valdivia in a playoff, was a Class 5A medalist and said he's excited about the upcoming stretch run.
"I feel like I'm getting way better than last year and I just think it's just a matter of time until I'm playing my best.''
FIREKEEPER OPEN
At Firekeeper Golf Course
Team scores
Shawnee Mission East 292, Manhattan 295, Washburn Rural 302, Shawnee Heights 311, Free State 315, Emporia 317, Dodge City 330, Lawrence 340, Seaman 346, Topeka High 431.
Individual results
1. Gogel, Shawnee Mission East, 68; 2. Valdivia, Shawnee Heights, 71; 3. (tie) Randall, Lawrence; Braxmeyer, Manhattan, and Workman, Santa Fe Trail, 72; 6. Alonzo, Topeka West, 73; 7. (tie) Cochran, Manhattan; Tyrell, Washburn Rural; Shelton, Shawnee Mission East, and Reid, Manhattan, 74.
Other Washburn Rural -- Conard 75, Monasmith 76, Burdett 77, Amstrong 84, Glynn 85, Baunchen 88.
Other Shawnee Heights -- Lincoln 75, Jones 77, Hohman 88, Zerger 89, Holladay 90.
Seaman -- Williamson 82, Weir 86, Biggs 88, Mack 90, Lister 85, Gentry 101.
Topeka High -- Muniz Rodriguez 94, Schmidt 98, Long 109, Valdivia Mendez 130.
Other Topeka West -- Lane 105, Locker 125.
