By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Monday's city high school girls golf championship at Cypress Ridge was marked by something old and something new.
Washburn Rural poses for a team picture after posting a 29-stroke victory in Monday's city girls golf tournament at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After a one-year absence, Washburn Rural regained its traditional place atop the city ladder, capturing its 12th city team championship in the 14-year history of the event by 29 strokes over Hayden as Hayden Beck won his first city title as the Junior Blues' head coach.
But Monday also saw Seaman senior Chloe Schmidtlein win her first city individual title by nine strokes with a 78 after finishing seventh in 2025.
Seaman senior Chloe Schmidtlein shot a 78 Monday to win her first city individual title by nine strokes at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural rode its balance to the team crown, with the Junior Blues putting all of its top four players in the top eight individually.
Washburn Rural senior Kailyn Petersen shot an 87 to tie for second place in Monday's city girls golf tournament at Cypress Ridge. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Washburn Rural sophomore Reese Elliott tied for second in Monday's city golf tournament with an 87. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Senior Kailyn Petersen and sophomore Reese Elliott tied for second behind Schmidtlein with 87s while Brynley Scott and LynnLee Mullins shot 95s to tie for seventh place.
"I think that we're getting where we need to be, and I think it's a testament to the work they've put in,'' Beck said. "We've been inside because it's been a rough year with the weather. All teams are dealing with it, but our girls have shown up every practice that we've had to move inside and they've got a lot of good work in.
"We've been pounding the short game and I'm starting to see a little bit of a difference from where we were at the start of the year to where we are now, so it's awesome to see us be able to put four scores together and kind of be where we're supposed to be.''
Schmidtlein, who helped Seaman win the city team title as a junior, used a red-hot start to her decisive individual victory, shooting under par over her front nine and holding a comfortable lead for the remainder of her round despite cooling off a bit.
Schmidtlein said that winning the city title was a goal entering Monday's tournament.
"I talked to my dad about it before the round and I was like, 'It would be really cool to go win city today, I think I could do it,' '' Schmidtlein said.
"But I didn't get too focused on it because if I set a goal and focus too much on it then I sometimes just go completely downhill.''
And now that she did win the city title, Schmidtlein is hoping to ride that momentum into the United Kansas Conference, regional and state meets.
"I feel like I can go perform well,'' she said.
Brooke Johnson tied for second with an 87 to lead Hayden to a runnerup team finish in Monday's city golf tournament. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Brooke Johnson tied for second with an 87 for team runnerup Hayden while Morgan Johnson finished sixth with a 92 and Emma Matthews placed 10th with a 103.
In addition to Schmidtlein's individual victory, third-place Seaman got a fifth-place finish from Kaitlynn Frye, who carded 90.
Shawnee Heights' Lauryn Valdivia earned an individual medal with a ninth-place finish for the T-Birds, shooting a 97.
Baldwin won the championship in the Topeka West Invitational, held in conjunction with the city tournament, by a 32-stroke margin over Washburn Rural (332-364) as Peyton Wright shot a 73 to post a five-stroke individual win for the Bulldawgs.
TOPEKA CITY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Cypress Ridge
Team scores
Washburn Rural 364, Hayden 393, Seaman 395, Shawnee Heights 456.
Individual results
1. Chloe Schmidtlein, Seaman, 78; 2. (tie) Kailyn Petersen, Washburn Rural; Reese Elliott, Washburn Rural, and Brooke Johnson, Hayden, 87; 5. Kaitlynn Frye, Seaman, 90; 6. Morgan Johnson, Hayden, 92; 7. (tie) Brynley Scott, Washburn Rural, and LynnLee Mullins, Washburn Rural, 95; 9. Lauryn Valdivia, Shawnee Heights, 97; 10. Emma Matthews, Hayden, 103.
Other Washburn Rural -- Emery Hall 107, Liz Halstead 112.
Other Hayden -- Emma Matthews 103, Avery Becker 111, Maura Tolin 111, Esa Herarra 113.
Other Seaman -- Penelope Kruesi 111, Leah Crawford 116, Lauren Glasgow 116, Cara Beaton 117.
Other Shawnee Heights -- Elsie Willman 114, Avary Domme 120, Ashlyn Mattox 125.
Topeka High -- Bristol Lansing 128, Braylin Selk 146.
TOPEKA WEST INVITATIONAL
Team scores
Baldwin 332, Washburn Rural 364, Hayden 393, Seaman 395, Emporia 425, Shawnee Heights 456, Junction City 482.
Individual results
1. Peyton Wright, Baldwin, 73; 2. Chloe Schmidtlein, Seaman, 78; 3. Carson Chambers, Baldwin, 85; 4. Charity Thompson, Baldwin, 86; 5. (tie) Kailyn Petersen, Washburn Rural; Reese Elliott, Washburn Rural, and Brooke Johnson, Hayden, 87; 8. Jada Sansome, Baldwin, 88; 9. Kaitlyn Frye, Seaman, 90; 10. Morgan Johnson, Hayden, 92.
