By KLINT SPILLER

kspiller@dailynews.net

The Smoky Hill Country Club Golf Course is considered challenging on its own. Then throw in a gusting north wind, a morning rain and a thick, reseeded rough, and the course went from difficult to extremely difficult.

That might explain the high scores Monday at the Monarch Invitational girls' golf tournament, which doubled as the MCAA championship meet.

All but one golfer shot in the triple digits, and the winner, Jordin Greer of Hoisington, only barely avoided it, shooting a 99. The median score on the 18-hole course was a 133.

"They had a lot of things they haven't had to deal with," Thomas More Prep-Marian coach Judy Mitchell said.

Russell won the meet with a team score of 445.

Hoisington finished second overall and first in the MCAA with a 453. Larned was third overall and second in the MCAA with a 489, and TMP finished eighth overall and third in the MCAA with a 520.

"The north wind made it tough on a lot of the holes," Mitchell said. "There were a lot of higher scores."

Russell junior Alex Ptacek finished second with a 100.

Ptacek's 100 was the best score posted until one of the final group of scores were posted, which included Greer's 99.

Ptacek thought she might have won it until the 99 was written.

"It's very disappointing, especially since I got a 9 on one hole on the back nine and a 10 on one hole on the front nine," Ptacek said.

Ptacek said it was difficult to adjust to the conditions.

"With the wind, you have to keep that in mind," she said. "My drives didn't go as far, and it would carry the ball right or left. You just had to battle with that. For the most part, it was a good day."

Nevertheless, Ptacek and her teammates continued rolling. This was the fourth meet her team had won this season, and the Broncos have been to seven meets this year.

Freshman Megan Boxberger was fourth, scoring a 102, and junior Janna Schulte and senior Anna Plante recorded rounds of 120 and 123, respectively.

"I'm very proud, especially since we had two seniors who carried us last year who left," Ptacek said. "We were a little nervous coming into this year."

TMP had one medalist: junior Monica Michaud.

Michaud finished 10th with a 119.

For Michaud, it was a significant finish, because though she was a state qualifier last season, this was her first career medal.

"I'm a little disappointed (with my score), but I'm pretty thrilled because this is my first medal," Michaud said.

Three Monarchs earned all-league honors: Michaud, senior Emily Leiker and junior Haileigh Jacobs.

Michaud was fifth in the league, while Leiker was seventh with a 128 and Jacobs was 10th with a 133.

Jenna Schuckman rounded out the team score with a 140.

"I think we are getting better," Michaud said. "We definitely have a lot of potential, and on a tougher course like Smoky, I expected it to be a little harder all around."

Oakley and Goodland also competed.

Oakley finished fourth with a 506. The Plainsmen's top golfer was Sydney Parsons, who finished eighth with a 115.

Goodland was fifth with a 509. The Cowboys' top golfer, Dayne Webring, fell two strokes short of medaling and finished with a 121.