KANSAS CITY, Kan. — In his first trip to a Class 4A state golf tournament, Larned High School sophomore Michael Reece finished fourth on Monday at Dub’s Dread Golf Club.
Reece, a regional champion, finished with a 2-over 74 to tie with Kansas City Piper’s Charlie Rinehart. Reece lost in a playoff.
“He was tied for third, but he got beat by a birdie on the first playoff hole,” Larned head coach Mike Seeman said. “He handled the pressure very well. We had him out there early to watch (teammate Tague Conrad) get started. Then he went back to the hotel to hang out for awhile.”
When Reece did get his round started, Seeman said you couldn’t tell if the sophomore had a care in the world.
“He didn’t look any different than he did his first time teeing off as a freshman,” Seeman said. “He’s very composed. You can’t tell how he’s playing from a distance because he has the same demeanor all the time.”
Conrad finished seventh to also win a medal, though his round was a little rockier.
“Reece maybe had one bad hole all day,” Seeman said. “He doubled hole six, but he turned around and birdied the next hole.
“Tague looked really bad and really good. He went 44-35, if that says anything. In what I would call typical Tague fashion, he got started a little rocky, but turned the motor on and fought his way back.”
Conrad finished in a five-way tie for seventh place.
“He had a playoff with four other golfers,” Seeman said. “They got rid of two on the first hole and the other two bogeyed and he got par to win. It surprised me because after that front nine, I was hoping for top 20. I didn’t even consider seventh place.”

                                                          — Kevin Price

Class 4A State Golf Tournament

At Kansas City, Kan.
Dub’s Dread Golf Club
Par 72

Monday

BOYS

Team scores
1. KC Piper, 312; 2. Tonganoxie, 313; 3. Holton, 323; 4. Coffeyville, 332; 5. Wichita Collegiate, 335; 6. Hesston, 342; 7. Iola, 345; 8. Maize South, 348; 9. Buhler, 349; 10. Paola, 358; 12. Fort Scott, 364; 13. Abilene, 380

Medalists
1. Yates, Tonganoxie, 69; 2. Miller, KC Piper, 73; 3. Rinehart, KC Piper, 74; 4. Michael Reece, Larned, 74; 5. Reilly, St. James, 78; 6. Dugan, Holton, 78; 7. Tague Conrad, Larned, 79; 8. Ha. Morris, Wichita Collegiate, 79; 9. Campbell, Tonganoxie, 79; 10. Christian, Maize South, 79; 11. Brandt, Holton, 79; 12. Torgerson, Buhler, 80; 12. Fasching, KC Piper, 80; 12. Yeubanks, Coffeyville, 80; 12. Scheer, Cheney, 80; 16. Boyle, Hayden, 81; 16. Chugg, Wichita Collegiate, 81; 16. Pauls, Hesston, 81; 16. Macha, Iola, 81; Walden, Iola, 81; 16. Hale, Tonganoxie, 81

Larned results
Michael Reece 37-37 — 74; Tague Conrad 44-35 — 79