By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

Monday was a learning experience for Matt Applequist.

Applequist, a junior on the Thomas More Prep-Marian boys' golf team, shot a 96 and didn't medal at Monday's Class 3A State Championships at Smoky Hill Country Club.

Applequist hopes to profit from that experience, and make state next year -- and he hopes to have his teammates with him.

"I think we're going to have a very solid team next year," Applequist said. "I think we'll have four guys, five guys, who can consistently shoot in the 80s.

"I think we'll be back (at state) next year, definitely," he added.

Applequist's score was his best on his home course in three meets at Smoky Hill this season. But a bad start cost him. Starting at No. 10, Applequist took an 8 for a quadruple-bogey.

"(Applequist) started off with a big number," TMP-Marian coach Bryan VonFeldt said. "That, coupled with the wind and the really tough conditions (Monday) was just a little too much for him to come back and fire a really good number.

"He started on 10 and made an 8 on 10, right off the bat. No penalty strokes, just hit right under the trees, punched out, wound up under another tree, missed a couple putts. Next thing you know, you get an 8 on the scorecard to start your day. You don't like to look at a snowman to start," VonFeldt added.

Nobody ruined the day for Wichita-Collegiate -- again. Collegiate shot 322 to win the team title by 26 strokes over Kansas City-Christian. Lakin brought home the third-place trophy with a 356. Caney Valley was fourth at 360, with Phillipsburg taking fifth at 364.

"It doesn't get old," said 21st-year Collegiate coach Kevin Reed said of winning another state title. "Every year's difficult, and we had great kids again this year.

"We've had a super season, we've won a lot of tournaments. I was happy to see us play as well as we did," added Reed, whose team won its fifth straight state title.

Especially after his team had a so-so practice round on Sunday, the first time his players had been on the course at Smoky Hill.

"I didn't know what to expect (Monday), with the wind and everything," Reed said.

The wind was howling, gusting at times over 40 miles per hour. It gave the players fits, but Hillsboro senior Daniel Kunantaev made the best of it under difficult conditions.

Kunantaev, a lefty, shot a four-over 75 to win the individual title by one stroke over Tyler Keplar of Council Grove. Last years' 3A champion, Sterling junior Michael Gellerman, took fifth with a 77. Gellerman also won the 2A title as a freshman. No area player medaled; Smith Center's Alex Hobelmann shot a 91.

"I knew if I hit some good shots I could put up a good number, I'd be right there in the mix," Kunantaev said.

Kunantaev said Smoky Hill provided a good test.

"I hit a few drives that I really put myself in bad areas, had to scramble for bogey," he said. "But, overall, pretty pleased with the course and the way it looked."

As for the wind ...

"To call the wind brutal would be an understatement," Kunantaev said. "It was terrible. One of the worst winds I've played in."

Phillipsburg's golfers were used to the wind, but couldn't get a team trophy or a medalist. The Panthers repeated their fifth-place showing from last year. But this year's team was younger, and didn't have standout Jeff Jarvis, a freshman golfer this year at Washburn University.

"I thought we played OK," Phillipsburg coach Keith Sides said. "... We had a good year. If you would have told us going into the year we would lose Jeff Jarvis, finish (fifth), with a young team ..."

The Monarchs were young, too. VonFeldt joins Applequist in taking an optimistic view about next year's team.

"We keep the top four guys we had all year; they'll be back next year," VonFeldt said.

"... If we don't make it to state next year, it definitely will be a disappointment. We've got some pretty high expectations, and I think we've got the kids that are willing to work at it, and be able to perform under pressure to do that."