Indians finish second
By CONOR NICHOLL
The Indian girls' golf team faced adversity in several ways during its season-opening Hays High Invitational on Monday afternoon at Smoky Hill Country Club.
The elements were tough, featuring temperatures above 80 degrees and wind gusts exceeding 20 miles per hour. Many girls dealt with first-tournament jitters and had trouble playing in groups with golfers from opposing schools. At times, Hays High struggled around the greens, including problematic putting.
Even with all the difficulties, a deep and talented Indian squad finished second out of nine teams with a 195, 13 shots better than last year's score. Garden City, a Class 6A powerhouse, won the tournament by 19 shots. HHS edged Hutchinson by one shot and Dodge City by two. HHS senior Sami Hobson, a two-time all-state golfer, and junior Maddie Curry each shot 47. Hobson was seventh and Curry eighth on a scorecard playoff; top 10 medaled. The Indians were the only team in the tournament that had every player break 60.
"Overall I was pretty happy with it," HHS coach Mark Watts said.
Garden City junior MacKenzie Thayer, a two-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, participated in several statewide and national tournaments this summer after back-to-back all-state seasons. She won Monday's tournament with a 42, two shots ahead of the field. Garden City went 1-2-4-5 with its top four girls; Watts considers the Buffaloes, one of, if not the best, team in Kansas.
"Our whole team played solid," Thayer said. "(Our top four) broke 50 and I really feel like that's the best we could ask for. I am super excited for the season because I know we are going to do well. We have practiced really hard this summer and I feel like we have a lot more experience."
Class 3A Thomas More Prep-Marian, the lone school in the field that wasn't 5A or 6A, was last with a 256. Junior Candice Staab shot a 60, while senior Shaelyn Klaus had a 63 and senior Elizabeth Rupp fired a 64. Senior Jordan Fisher had a 69.
"With all of the wind and everything, they were very nervous for their first tournament," Monarch coach Judy Mitchell said. "... I would have liked to see them in the 50s, that was our goal, but to have four of them right there at the same point, that is really good for me."
Hays High had three girls break 50 -- Hobson, Curry and junior Natalie Bethel (49). An injured Curry moved to Utah and didn't play at all last season. She is back in Hays now, but still fights a bothersome back.
"She said she putted well and the short game helped her out," Watts said. "Natalie has probably put in as much golf or more golf than anybody this summer, so I am very happy for her."
The Indians shot a 172 at Smoky Hill during practice one day earlier this season, but that score came under calm skies. On Monday, the wind caused just two players in the field to break 45. Plus, the Indians didn't perform well with their short game. Still, they earned runner-up -- and moved into second place in the WAC standings. The conference standings are determined by team finishes at league meets.
"We left a lot of shots out there," Watts said.
"A lot were saying that it's around the green. That's true. We do work on the short game, but have to be more committed when you are working in it and practicing. We were four-putting greens, that's just throwing strokes away. Second place, that's pretty good. Plus, it gives us one leg up on Dodge in our league."