EMPORIA — Maddie Werth and McKenna Mauler worked their way around Emporia Municipal Golf Course on Monday, competing individually at the girls’ Class 5A state golf tournament.
Werth, a senior, shot a 99, finishing strong on her back nine holes, although she finished off the pace. Werth was five strokes better than her opening nine (52).
The same could be said for Mauler, who carded a 103, including a 48 on her final nine holes.
“I think they’re a little bit disappointed in how they finished,” Great Bend High School head coach Troy Stein said. “Obviously, they’re competitors and they wanted to come out and post a better score than what they got. They started out slow, but finished up strong.”
Werth, a senior, was making her third straight state appearance.
“Maddie was up-and-down,” Stein said. “Her first hole was good, and then her second hole wasn’t so good. She would have a good third hole, and then not a good fourth.
“She kind of leveled out after that. Maddie birdied a par-3 hole. No. 14. If you hit a good shot and then make a good putt, it gives you a boost.”
It was the second straight state berth for Mauler, a junior.
“She started off a little rocky,” Stein said of Mauler. “She was probably a little nervous starting off on the front nine. She had three 8s on her first nine holes, starting off on the back nine.
“But on the 10th hole (No. 1), she had a birdie and that got her confidence back a little bit. It was a par-4 and she hit a good drive. She hit a good second shot and then made a good putt. She had a rough start, but she corrected it and kept playing it.”

                                           — Mack McClure

HIGH SCHOOL GOLF
Class 5A State
Tournament

Monday

At Emporia
Municipal Golf Course
Par 72

Team results
1. St. Thomas Aquinas, 336; 2. Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, 367; 3. Bishop Carroll, 372; 4. Shawnee Heights, 386; 5. Goddard-Eisenhower, 387; 6. Hays, 393; 7. Blue Valley Southwest, 398; 8. Newton, 410; 9. Andover, 425; 10. Salina Central, 429; 11. Shawnee Mission South, 436; 12. Topeka-Seaman, 441.

Medalists
1. Jordan Chael, St. Thomas Aquinas, 74; 2. Baile Winslow, St. Thomas Aquinas, 78; 3. Makena Mucciaccio, Goddard-Eisenhower, 82; 4. Hannah Sears, Shawnee Mission South, 83; 5. Carly Hill, Bishop Carroll, 85; 6. Rachel Anstaett, Shawnee Heights, 86; 7. Ashley Root, St. Thomas Aquinas, 87; 8. Katie Wells, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, 87; 9. Madison Walden, Bishop Carroll, 87; 10. Nikki McCurdy, Blue Valley Southwest, 87; 11t. Hannah Perkins, Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, 88; 11t. Jesse Mechler, Shawnee Heights, 88; 13. Laine Evans, Maize South, 90; 14. Maddie Routhier, Andover, 92; 15. Amber Mechtley, Emporia, 93; 16. Shelby Hooper, Goddard, 94; 17. Lexie Schaben, Hays, 95; 17. Abby Dorsey, St. James Academy, 95; 17. Rachel Schremmer, Maize South, 95; 17. Alexa Salsbery, Newton, 95; 17. Jordan Kiser, Emporia, 95.