By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Topeka West golf star Myles Alonzo wasn't perfect in Monday's Class 5A regional tournament at Cypress Ridge, but darn near.
Alonzo carded a double bogey on hole No. 12 but that was his only blemish on the day as the senior carded what is believed to be a Topeka West school record with a sizzling four-under-par 66 to take medalist honors by a whopping five strokes.
Topeka West senior Myles Alonzo drops an eagle putt to finish off his 4-under-par 66 in Monday's Class 5A regional at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Topeka West senior Myles Alonzo reacts after sinking his birdie putt on the 18th hole of Monday's Class 5A regional at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"My putting was really good,'' Alonzo said. "I still missed some birdie putts, but oh well, I still had a great round. I can't complain about it. I hit my irons very well. I was 100 yards out and sticking it by the pin.''
Alonzo has now won four of his last six tournaments heading into next Monday's 5A state tournament at Newton's Sand Creek Station while Shawnee Heights qualified for state as a team with a third-place team finish and Seaman senior Zach Weir and junior Bradley Williamson qualified as individuals.
Alonzo hit a temporary stumbling block on his 12th hole after hitting his drive out of bounds, but followed with birdies on his next two holes and saved his best for last, driving the Par-4 No. 18 within about 12 feet and holing his putt for an eagle.
"Twelve, I was real confident in my driver and I'm like, 'OK, I'm going to play a nice fade here,' and I did not come across my body and it just went straight left and I was like, 'Oh no,' '' Alonzo said.
Alonzo's tee shot on No. 13 temporarily went out of bounds but bounced back into play and he took advantage of that break when he chipped in for a birdie.
Alonzo added a second straight birdie on the next hole and then provided his highlight of the day on No. 18 when his monster drive set up his eagle.
"I've never been on the green on a drive on that hole so mark that off the bucket list,'' he said.
Shawnee Heights poses for a team picture after earning a berth in the Class 5A state tournament with a third-place regional finish Monday at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Emporia won the regional team title by a 306-316 margin over Basehor-Linwood while Shawnee Heights garnered the final team berth with a four-man score of 322.
T-Bird sophomore Ayden Valdivia tied for fifth with a 77 to pace Shawnee Heights while senior Zack Hohman and Jasec Holladay tied for 10th individually with 81s and junior Logan Hahn rounded out Heights' top four with an 83.
Seaman senior Zach Weir and junior Bradley Williamson qualified for the Class 5A state tournament as individuals in Monday's 5A regional at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Alonzo led the individual state qualifiers while Seaman's Weir tied for fifth with a 77 to punch his ticket to state and his Viking teammate, Williamson, tied for 13th with an 82 to earn his state berth.
A two-time 5A state medalist, Alonzo is brimming with confidence entering the final tournament of his high school career.
"If I just keep it up and how I played today, I should be fine,'' he said.
CLASS 5A REGIONAL GOLF
At Cypress Ridge
Team scores
Emporia 306, Basehor-Linwood 316, Shawnee Heights 322, Seaman 331, De Soto 336, Lansing 359.
Individual results
1. Myles Alonzo, Topeka West, 66; 2. Hudson Sauder, Emporia, 71; 3. (tie) Carson Strah, Basehor-Linwood, and Carson Youngblood, Basehor-Linwood, 76; 5. (tie) Ayden Valdivia, Shawnee Heights; Will Walker, Emporia; Jared Johnson, Emporia, and Zach Weir, Seaman, 77; 9. Evan Vielhauer, Basehor-Linwood, 80; 10. (tie) Marley Harter, Emporia; Zack Hohman, Shawnee Heights, and Jasec Holladay, Shawnee Heights, 81.
Individual state qualifiers -- Myles Alonzo, Topeka West, 66; Zach Weir, Seaman, 77; John Ward, Leavenworth, 82; Bradley Williamson, Seaman, 82; TJ Spurlock, De Soto, 83; Devin Murrell, De Soto, 83.
Other Shawnee Heights -- Logan Hahn 83, Jensen Crawford 86, Jaxon Shove 95.
Other Seaman -- Nicholas Hill 86, Kaleb Mack 86, Timothy Lister 90, Alexander Flanagan 95.
Other Topeka West -- Harrison Lane 93.
