Perfect Season

Larned caps 10-0 season with state title

By MIKE COURSON

The Larned Lady Indian golf team had put together a perfect season after a second place finish at state a year ago. Thursday at Lake Barton, the team got that final, most important win, to improve to 10-0 on the season, and win the Class 3-2-1A state championship.

“It was very high expectations coming in and we knew that,” said Larned coach Toni Novotny. “We knew we had won every tournament last year except for three: regional, state, and Lakin. Our first goal was to win Lakin, and once we did that, we knew regional and state were going to be out there. I knew with these girls shooting as well as they have been lately, we had a really good chance. I was so proud of those seniors coming through. They did a wonderful job.”

The Indians were led by their four seniors. Brenna George placed fifth overall and led the team with a 92. Lacey Farley shot a 96 to finish eighth in the tournament. Meredith Allison had struggled as of late, and was listed as the No. 5 golfer on the team. Thursday, she fought back with a 100, good enough for 15th place overall.

“The past couple tournaments, I was really struggling,” Allison said. “I just wasn’t hitting the ball clean. Today, I was relaxed and I said, ‘Hey, it’s my last one of all-time,’ so it felt really good.”

Emily Tanner also medaled for Larned, shooting a 102 to round out the team score. She finished in 17th place.

After cold, drizzly weather last week at regional play, all golfers were aided by nearly ideal conditions with temperatues in the 70s and wind not a factor for most of the day.

“I think having a good day today helped us because we’d been in the cold,” said Novotny. “The last three tournaments we played in were windy and cold. Having a nice day out here today benefitted us to where we could calm down. There was a lot of pressure because you hear a lot of people say you’re the favorite going in, but you’ve still got to play the game. I think the pressure at the beginning got to us, but then we settled down very nicely.”

Katie Seeman shot a 118 for the Lady Indians, and Kayla Langdon finished with a 119.

Tournament host Hoisington placed fourth overall in the tournament, led by junior Britany Axman, who finished fourth after shooting a 91.

“I just tried to relax and take it one stroke at a time,” Axman said.”

“Britany has been struggling a little bit,” said Cardinal coach Bruce Cooper. “Friday, we took her off the course and went to different holes and worked on our wedges because that’s what she was having trouble with. All of a sudden it clicked. She shot a good practice round yesterday, and just exploded today.”

Also medaling for the Cardinals, sophomore Blakelee Cooper shot a 103 for a four-way tie at 18th. Jess Trower finished with a 117, and Jordan Satterlee shot a 118. Shelby Littrell finished with 120 strokes, and Ashton Nickelson finished with a 126.

Larned won the tournament with a team score of 390, followed by Goodland’s 393 strokes. Fredonia finished third with a 423, and Hoisington just missed a trophy with 429 strokes.

“We knew they were going to be tough,” Cooper said. “I would’ve been happy if we’d been fourth. That’s what I predicted was to get fourth, but when you get this close to third, you get a little greedy, and we only missed third by six strokes. I’m sure the girls could have found places to cut back strokes. Fourth two years in a row, and this year we were closer to third than last year, so maybe next year.”

Syracuse golfer Kami Rash won the individual side with an 81. Lyons’ Kalee Logan finished second with an 89, and Maggie Sloan of Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan finished third with a 90.