SALINA — As the final scores started trickling in at the Salina Municipal Golf Course clubhouse late Monday afternoon, Maddie Werth began to feel at ease.
Werth, a senior from Great Bend HIgh School, carded a 90 to finish in fourth place and qualify for the Class 5A state golf tournament for the third straight season. It is the first time she has medaled at a regional.
“I was hoping I was going,” Werth said. “When the scores started coming in, I just got more confident that I was going.
“It is pretty exciting, to get to state three times in a row. My freshman year, I just missed being able to go to state by a few strokes, so it’s an exciting feeling and I’m very proud.”
The Lady Panthers’ McKenna Mauler, a junior, qualified for the second straight season as an individual. She finished with what she described as a “thumbs-down” 99, although it was one of the five state-qualifying scores picked.
“I’m excited to go back,” Mauler said, “because I worked hard all season. I thought I would play better. It was really cold this morning and once I warmed up, it was a little better.
“It’s like my hands were cold. When I hit it, my hands felt cold, so I’ll probably get some gloves. I still think I can do better, but I was pretty pleased.”
The Lady Panthers finished in fourth place as a team, missing qualifying as a team by one spot. The top three teams will advance to the upcoming state tournament, set for next Monday at Emporia’s Municipal Golf Course.
The Salina course was one of familiarity for the Lady Panthers.
“This is a course that we’re familiar with,” Great Bend head coach Troy Stein said. “We’ve played two tournaments here this year and we played two tournaments, plus regionals, here last year. We kind of expected Maddie and McKenna to both play well.
“I knew that if they played like they’re capable, they would go as individuals. We thought we had an outside shot as a team, if a couple of the other girls played well. We had a couple girls that played well, but players on other teams played better.”
Salina Central’s Alissa Kim was top medalist, shooting 80. Laine Evans of Maize South (82) placed second, and Central’s Taylor Knoth (89) finished third.
Newton won the regional crown, despite having only one player in the top five.
HIGH SCHOOL GOLF
Class 5A Regional
Monday
At Salina Municipal Golf Course
Salina
Par 70
Team standings
1. Newton, 386; 2. Salina Central, 387; 3. Hays, 390; 4. Great Bend, 413; 5. Maize South, 417; 6. Salina South, 426; 7. Valley Center, 471.
Medalists
1. Alissa Kim, Salina Central, 80; 2. Laine Evans, Maize South, 82; 3. Taylor Knoth, Salina Central, 89; 4. Maddie Werth, Great Bend, 91; 5. Alexa Salsbery, Newton, 92*; Taylor Herman, Hays, 92; 8. Rachel Schremmer, Maize South, 95*; 9. Courtney Hess, Hays, 95. 10. Lexi Pauls, Newton, 95.
*Won in playoff
Also qualified as individual
McKenna Mauler, Great Bend, 99
TEAM BREAKDOWNS
Newton (386)
Alexa Salsbery 92
Ginny Loeffler 93
Lexi Pauls 95
Alyssa Saenz 106
Emily Epp 119
Larrah Bills 119
Salina Central (387)
Alissa Kim 80
Taylor Knoth 89
Callie Windholz 109
Emily Ewing 109
Kayla Hutchison 123
Alycia Buchanan 115
Hays (390)
Taylor Herman 92
Courtney Hess 95
Lexie Schaben 99
Elissa Jensen 104
Zoey Gubitoso 104
Great Bend (413)
Maddie Werth 91
McKenna Mauler 99
Rachel Gros 109
Hannah Mauler 114
Taylor Mohr 130
Michaela Cape 132
Maize South (417)
Laine Evans 82
Rachel Schremmer 95
Rose Praile 106
Kristin Yocum 142
Brittany Dennis 162
Cami Kingsley 134
Salina South (426)
Michaela Nixon 104
Caitlin Corn 98
Kallie Ferguson 126
Morgan Maxey 111
Margy Long 114
Morgan Cossette 113
Valley Center (471)
Alexa Schultz 115
Maddy Roberts 126
Ashlyn Gentry 120
Cierra Duarte 110
Morgan Luna 151
Megan Hussey 143
