MCPHERSON -- A stress-free senior season suddenly brought late adversity for South Gray’s Gavin Wahl just before his bid for a third straight state title.

“I broke my driver two weeks before state,” Wahl said. “I played 8 degree driver, and at the house we didn’t have anything but 10 ½, 11 degrees.

“It gets in your head, and you have to get out of your head and be like: This is my driver, be confident on every swing.”

After carding a 2-under-par 68 on Tuesday to open up a four-shot lead at the Class 1A state tournament at Turkey Creek, Wahl was more in survival mode on Day 2 Wednesday.

Still, his 3-peat was never truly in jeopardy.

Wahl overcame his driver issues to close his high school career with a final-round 73, finishing with a two-day, 1-over-par 141 to win by four strokes over Hutchinson Central Christian’s Cael Kooiman.

“I had to find a different loft,” Wahl said. “I was hitting the ball sky-high all tournament, and the putter was not working very well.

“It was just about grinding and staying in the round. I just grinded with my irons. I was trying to get in the clubhouse both days.”

Wahl knocked in his first birdie of the day on the 14th to move to even par for his round before going 4-over par on his next three holes, including a double bogey on No. 16 after his drive hit a tree.

But he rebounded with a birdie on the 18th to close out his tremendous career.

Wahl, who won all but one tournament in his senior campaign, said he took pride in finding ways to battle when his game was out of sync.

“The field was good,” Wahl said. “This is not an easy course. With the pins, they were kind of nice to us on Day 1. They were not nice to us on Day 2.”

South Gray’s bid for its third straight team title in four seasons came up short. The Rebels led by five strokes after Day 1 with a 305 but saw Hill City overtake them on Wednesday. The Ringnecks finished at 628 to win by nine strokes over South Gray, capturing their first state golf title in program history. 

“We didn’t come out and play our best (Wednesday),” Wahl said. “We played our best golf (Tuesday). As a team we were in good shape, but hats off to Hill City. They played really well today. They came out and just competed.”

Kooiman, who helped Hutchinson Central Christian win the team title in 2025, carded rounds of 73 and 72 to claim runner-up honors with a 5-over 145. Centre’s Easton Glessner and Hill City’s Kenley Gugleman tied for third at 147 while Oberlin-Decatur Community’s Koen Oien took fifth at 152.

Wahl will now prepare for the next level as he heads to Garden City Community College for golf.

“I’m really going to work hard this summer to dial everything in,” Wahl said.
 

 

CLASS 1A STATE GOLF

At Turkey Creek Golf Course, McPherson 

INDIVIDUAL SCORES

1. Gavin Wahl, South Gray, 68-73–141; 2. Cael Kooiman, Central Christian, 73-72–145; 3. (tie) Easton Glessner, Lost Springs-Centre, 72-75–147; Kenley Gugleman, Hill City, 75-72–147; 5. Koen Oien, Oberlin, 79-73–152; 6. Kollin Washburn, Hodgeman County, 75-79–154; 7. AJ Deges, Hill City, 76-80–156; 8. (tie) Jordy Lee, Hodgeman County, 80-77–157; Sawyer Campbell, Kiowa County, 81-76–157; 10. Daxton Hendrickson, South Gray, 77-82–159; 11. Thayer Zadina, Kiowa County, 81-79–160; 12. (tie) Levi Schrag, Goessel, 78-83–161; Bronx Talley, Centralia, 79-82–161; Braxon Mangan, Greeley County, 79-82–161; Jace Hoffman, Bishop Seabury, 84-77–161; 16. Carson Goebel, Hodgeman County, 82-80–162; 17. (tie) Kelby Yost, South Gray, 77-86–163; Carlos DeHerrera, Elkhart, 80-83–163; Chase Bell, Hill City, 78-85–163; 20. (tie) Tyler Jones, Centralia, 79-87–166; Graham Valburg, Onaga, 83-83–166.

TEAM SCORES

Hill City 310-318–628, South Gray 305-332–637, Hodgeman County 334-327–661, Kiowa County 345-327–672, Onaga 345-352–697, Centralia 350-363–713.