EMPORIA — After two straight years of heartbreak, Andover senior Regan Dusenbery wasn’t going to be denied a third time.
The standout finally captured the elusive Class 5A state championship Tuesday at Emporia Golf Course, shooting a two-day total of 139 (68-71) to win by nine strokes over Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Ximena Sarinana, the very golfer who edged her out each of the past two seasons.
“I wanted it a lot,” Dusenbery said, fighting back tears. “It was the sole purpose for me this year. I just worked as much as I could toward it. It required a lot of grit. I’m very emotional about it because I’ve worked so hard for this.”
Dusenbery’s long-awaited victory was both dominant and emotional. Her opening-round 68, fueled by seven birdies despite wind gusts topping 30 mph, gave her a commanding seven-shot lead heading into the final day.
Andover senior Regan Dusenbery tees off on a hole Tuesday at the Emporia Golf Course.
Tuesday didn’t start smoothly — nerves showed on her first two drives — but Dusenbery regrouped and played steady, even-par golf to close out a final-round 71.
“The first two drives were a little bit of nerves because I knew what was at stake,” Dusenbery said. “I just tried my best to calm myself down. I play a lot of golf, so I just needed to get back to what I do every day and swing my swing.”
As she walked up the 18th fairway for the last time in her high school career, the moment finally hit her.
“It was bittersweet and I knew that I was going to cry,” she said. “I knew where I was on the leaderboard — it was just so much pressure to finish the par, and I was glad I was able to do it.”
Regan Dusenbery gets a hug from her day, Troy, following her final round at the Class 5A state tournament in Empoira.
Her victory capped an exceptional high school career that included three straight top-two finishes at state. Andover coach Ryan Harshaw said the win was a testament to her perseverance and maturity.
“It was unbelievable,” Harshaw said. “She has had a heck of a high school career. She’s been through a lot — top 10 as a freshman and runner-up twice — and she’s matured so much on and off the course. She hits the ball a mile, but her short game has gotten so much better. Those runner-up finishes really fueled her. She was back on the course the next day after those losses working to get better. All that hard work paid off.”
Dusenbery’s victory also helped Andover secure a state runner-up team finish with a 692 — the Trojans’ best showing since 2018. She also became the school’s third state champion, joining Katy Nugent in 2005 and Tiffany Chan in 2018.
Senior Isabel Hawley added a 15th-place finish with a 180 (87-93), while Grier Hand took 24th (186), Maren Nelson was 29th (190), Bella Davis finished 34th (193), and Emily Meyer rounded out the lineup in 46th (204).
Andover's Isabel Hawley gets out of the sand and onto the green Tuesday at Emporia.
“The girls had a goal to get to Day 2 because the last two years we missed the cut,” Harshaw said. “As the season went on, their goals shifted — they wanted to bring home a trophy. I’m just really proud they were able to accomplish that. The conditions were super tough, some of the hardest I’ve ever seen at state, but they hung in there and showed so much grit.”
While Dusenbery’s individual triumph was long overdue, she said the team trophy meant just as much — if not more.
“Honestly the team trophy is the most important thing to me,” Dusenbery said. “I love how high school golf gives you that team aspect. I’m so happy for our girls — one of our goals was to place at state, so we were all super happy about it.”
And as for finally holding that first-place medal?
“It was all worth it,” she said with a smile. “I’m glad I felt what it was like to lose because it made this feeling so much better.”
Regan Dusenbery is congratuated by her teammates following her state tournament victory.
Newton's Naomi Koontz medaled third overall.
St. James Academy's Lynn Powell finished fourth overall.
Seaman's Elise Eckert medaled fifth at the Class 5A tournament.
CLASS 5A STATE GOLF
At Emporia Golf Course
INDIVIDUAL MEDALISTS
-
Regan Dusenbery, Andover, 68-71 —139; 2. Ximena Sarinana, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 75-73—148; 3. Naomi Koontz, Newton, 77-76—153; 4. Lynn Powell, St. James Academy, 81-79—160; 5. (tie) Elise Eckert, Topeka Seaman, 77-84—161; Natalee Runyan, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 78-83—161; 7. Caroline Zacharias, St. James Academy, 81-85—166; 8. Reese Christenson, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 84-83—167; 9. Mary Bina, Bishop Carroll, 82-88—170; 10. Remi Hartley, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 84-87—171; 11. Sophia Johnson, Blue Valley Southwest, 85-87—172; 12. Rose Muehlberger, St. James Academy, 85-87—174; 13. Aspen Colquhoun, Ark City, 86-91—177; 14. Sloan Jacobsen, Blue Valley Southwest, 94-85—179; 15. Isabel Hawley, Andover, 87-93—180; 16. Sydney Chapman, Goddard, 89-92—181; 17. (tie) Aubrey Ziolo, Basehor-Linwood, 90-92—182; Alexis Ross, Bishop Carroll, 96-86—182; 19. (tie) Emma Nguyen, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 92-91—183; Chloe Schmidtlein, Topeka Seaman, 91-92—183.