BOYS STATE GOLF DAY 1 ROUNDUP

CLASS 6A
 
At Firekeeper Golf Course, Mayetta

DEFENDING CHAMP SHAWNEE MISSION EAST, BLUE VALLEY NORTH TIED ATOP TEAM LEADERBOARD

If the opening round of the Class 6A state golf tournament felt familiar, that’s because it looked a lot like last spring. 

One year after Shawnee Mission East edged Blue Valley North by just two strokes for the Class 6A state championship, the two perennial contenders once again find themselves locked in a battle for the top spot. 

After the first day of the state tournament Tuesday at Firekeeper Golf Course, defending champion Shawnee Mission East and Blue Valley North sit tied atop the team standings after each carded an even-par 288. Olathe Northwest remains firmly in contention as well, just three strokes back in third at 291 heading into Wednesday’s final round. 

The race for the individual title is shaping up to be just as tight. 

Shawnee Mission East junior Stuart Boulware, who placed third at last year’s state tournament, surged to the top of the leaderboard after firing a 4-under-par 68. Boulware will take a one-shot lead into Wednesday as he looks to add an individual crown to the Lancers’ pursuit of a second straight team championship. 

Right on his heels is Blue Valley North’s Drew Krystyn, who carded a 3-under 69 to keep the Mustangs within striking distance both individually and in the team race. 

Manhattan’s Charlie Haney and Olathe Northwest’s Will Holtzman are tied for third after each shot a 2-under 70, while a crowded group sits just behind them. 

Olathe Northwest’s Jack Butterbaugh, Olathe South’s Tate Edwards, Blue Valley’s Connor MacGhee, Blue Valley West’s Lukas Nelson and Shawnee Mission East senior Hudson Bennish all turned in rounds of 1-under 71 to share fifth place. 

Blue Valley North also got steady contributions from defending individual champion Brady Rapp and teammate Patrick Smith, who each finished the opening round at even-par 72. Rapp, who captured the 6A title a year ago, remains well within striking distance heading into the final 18 holes. 

 
CLASS 5A
 
At Tallgrass Golf Club, Wichita
 
KAPAUN GRABS EARLY LEAD IN RETURN TO STATE
 
A one-year absence from the state golf tournament didn’t cost Kapaun Mt. Carmel its knack for getting in the thick of a team title race.
 
The Crusaders actually emerged with the 18-hole lead in the Class 5A state tournament Tuesday at Wichita’s Tallgrass Golf Club, shooting a four-man score of 300 that gave them a two-shot lead over reigning champion St. James Academy and a three-shot cushion on Kapaun’s crosstown rival, Bishop Carroll.
 
Kapaun, a three-time 5A team champion from 2021-24, qualified just two individuals for state last spring. One of them, Carson Bachrodt, carded a 5-over 76 Tuesday to help the Crusaders climb to the top. Kapaun also got a 73 from Ben Wegeng, a 75 from Henry Mies and Ryker Dondlinger’s 76.
 
Last month, a group of 5A teams gathered at Tallgrass for a state preview tournament, a closely contested event won by St. James. The Thunder put themselves in contention Tuesday behind a 73 from Josh Fratzel, a 75 from John Koenings, and 77s from Darren Powell and Joey Governal.
 
Carroll, which won its home regional last week at Wichita’s Rolling Hills, used its 1-2 combination of freshman Kaden Leivian (73) and senior Max Farber (74) to fuel its 303.
 
Maize South (313), Hays (316) and Eisenhower (317) joined the top three teams in advancing to Wednesday’s final round. Eisenhower, last year’s runner-up, grabbed the final spot, finishing four shots clear of Andover.
 
Goddard sophomore Cohen Museousky and Eisenhower senior Luke Springer shared the first-round individual lead, shooting even-par 71s. Both were state medalists a year ago, as Museousky tied for 12^th and Springer, a Drake signee, took fourth.
 

CLASS 4A
 
At Hesston Golf Course
 
KUEKER SHARES INDIVIDUAL LEAD, HELPS WAMEGO SET PACE IN TEAM RACE

A 1-over 72 was hardly a rough day for defending Class 4A state champion Ethan Small during Tuesday’s opening round at Hesston Golf Course. But it leaves the Independence senior with some work to do on Wednesday to get his second straight individual title.
 
Small’s round was good enough for just a tie for seventh after the first round as ideal conditions led to low scoring. Three players broke par on the day with Fort Scott’s Reece Roberts and Wamego’s Regan Kueker sharing the Day 1 lead after each shot 2-under 69s. Kueker was last year’s state runner-up by a shot to Small, while Roberts tied for 19th a year ago.
 
They’ve got a one-shot lead over Circle’s Anderson Helmer, who won the Class 4A state title in 2023 as a freshman. Helmer shot a 1-under 70.
 
Santa Fe Trail’s Brady Buessing, Bishop Miege’s Griffin Bloemker and Tonganoxie’s Lachlan McRae each shot even-par 71s while Small’s 72 was matched by Bishop Miege’s Sam Lien.
 
Wamego, winner of the past three 4A team championships, turned in a team total of 291 that has the Red Raiders just four shots ahead of Miege, which had a 295. Miege was led by Bloemker and Lien with Ben Engle adding a 75, while Wamego’s Kueker was backed by 73s from Breckin Miller and Joel Schiel. Eli Neff added a 76 for Wamego as well.
 
Santa Fe Trail is a distant third in the team race with a 313 total, two shots ahead of Circle (315), four ahead of Andale (317) and five ahead of Fort Scott (318).
 
 
CLASS 3A
 
At Lake Shawnee Golf Course, Topeka
 
WICHITA COLLEGIATE GETS TITLE DEFENSE OFF TO A STRONG START
 
In winning the Class 3A team championship a year ago, Wichita Collegiate had the slimmest of margins after the first day of competition, leading eventual runner-up Trinity Academy by just a single shot.
 
Which should make the lead the Spartans take into Day 2 of this year’s state tournament at Lake Shawnee Golf Course feel like a somewhat commanding one.
 
Putting four individuals in the top 12 of the individual standings during Tuesday’s opening round, Collegiate finished with a team total of 295. It was 20 shots lower than what the Spartans posted in last year’s opening round and opened up a comfortable 12-shot margin on Hesston going into Wednesday’s final round after the Swathers turned in a 307 team total on Tuesday.
 
Trinity Academy is in third with a 308 while Sabetha, third place a year ago, is fourth at 319.
 
Collegiate’s stellar showing Monday was paced by Landon Langston, who shot an even-par 70 to sit atop the individual standings. His lead is anything but comfortable with 11 players within five shots.
 
That includes Iola’s Brennan Coffield, who sits just one shot back in second after shooting a 71. Russell’s Jake Mooney carded a 73 and is in third while Langston’s Spartan teammate, freshman Bronx Esterline is tied for fourth with Trinity Academy’s Cooper Martsolf with both shooting 74s.
 
Six players came in with 75s – Baxter Springs’ Colt McCoy, Collegiate’s Remy Blanchaert, Trinity Academy’s Cole Palmer, Hesston’s Isaac Rushe, Perry-Lecompton’s Toby Wagner and Sabetha’s Hudson Scoby. Collegiate and Hesston each had a player with a 76 – Charlie Gentile for the Spartans and Carter Frey for the Swathers – both tied with Holton’s Easton Moulin for 12th.
 
 
CLASS 2A
 
At Quail Ridge Golf Course, Winfield
 
SACRED HEART POSITIONS ITSELF FOR 11TH CONSECUTIVE TITLE
 
After stretching its state-title winning streak to double digits last year by being the hunters, the Sacred Heart Knights returned to their more familiar role as frontrunners Tuesday in the Class 2A state tournament.
 
With four golfers posting rounds in the 70s, Sacred Heart shot an opening-day team score of 310 at Winfield’s Quail Ridge, building a 13-shot lead over second-place Hutchinson Trinity at the midway point of the 36-hole tournament.
 
Regional champion Jake Koksal, a freshman, carded a 4-over-par 76 to lead the Knights, who will try to extend their state-record streak for consecutive titles on Wednesday. Sacred Heart’s trio of senior Will Tuttle and juniors Ethan Newell and Dominic Matteucci lined up right behind Koksal, shooting 77, 78 and 79 respectively to comprise the Knights’ team score.
 
Sacred Heart faced a 10-shot deficit after 18 holes in last year’s 2A tournament at McPherson’s Turkey Creek, but tracked down Syracuse and pulled away for a 17-shot victory. There won’t be a need for those type of heroics Wednesday, as the Knights grinded out the lead on a warm, humid day. Their top four were among the field’s top eight individually after Day 1, while senior Ben Marrs added an 81 to settle into a tie for 15^th.
 
Hutch Trinity, which won the regional hosted by St. Mary’s Colgan, shot 323 on Tuesday. The Celtics also featured good balance, as the trio of Tyler Casebolt, Miles Blaylock and Ian Shaw all shot 79s.
 
Syracuse will start the final round in third place after posting a 324 team score. Brock Keller led the Bulldogs with a 79, while Charlie Keller and Mason Scott each fired 81s.
 
While Sacred Heart’s team lead had a familiar ring, a new face in 2A led the individual competition. Humboldt sophomore Connor Newman, who tied for second in 3A last year in his state debut, shot a 1-under 71 on Tuesday for a two-shot lead over Cair Paravel’s Caleb Cleverdon and five clear of third-place Koksal.
 
Sacred Heart, Hutch Trinity and Syracuse will be joined by TMP-Marian (338), St. Marys (347) and Oakley (347) for Day 2 of the team competition. St. Marys and Oakley survived a close battle for the final two spots, as they nudged Cair Paravel, which shot 349, and Colgan, which posted a 352.
  
CLASS 1A
 
At Turkey Creek Golf Course, McPherson
 
SOUTH GRAY'S WAHL MOVES TO FRONT IN BID FOR THIRD TITLE

South Gray’s Gavin Wahl was the lone golfer to break par during Tuesday’s first round of the Class 1A tournament at Turkey Creek Golf Course in McPherson and that puts the Rebel in prime position to capture his third straight individual state championship.
 
Wahl fired a 2-under 68 and leads by four shots going into Wednesday’s second round. Wahl also helped South Gray to a first-day lead in the team standings as the Rebels posted a team score of 305 and lead Hill City by five shots as they look to get back the title after Hutchinson Central Christian denied them a three-peat a year ago.
 
Wahl was joined in the top 10 by teammates Daxton Hendrickson and Kelby Yost, each of whom shot 77s to sit tied for seventh. Hill City had three in the top 10 with Kenley Gugleman shooting a 75 to sit fourth, AJ Deges carding a 76 to sit sixth and Chase Bell tied for ninth with a 78.
 
Centre’s Easton Glessner is Wahl’s closest challenger and shot a 2-over 72 tl sit four shots back. Right behind him is Hutchinson Central Christian’s Cael Kooiman, who shot a 3-over 73.
 
Hodgeman County is third in the team standings with a 330, led by a 75 from Kollin Washburn, who is tied for fourth with Hill City’s Gugleman.