The best ever? Kapaun girls golf team makes case with record-setting Class 5A title
The Kapaun Mount Carmel girls golf team will go down as one of the greatest in Kansas high school history.
An undefeated season came to a close on Tuesday when the Crusaders fired a team score of 306 strokes, which some believe is the best one-day total at the state tournament, to win their second straight Class 5A team championship with a 36-hole total of 636 — nearly 90 strokes better than second-place Hays.
Kapaun placed four in the top 11 at the state meet in senior Kate Tilma (151, second), freshman Meg Tilma (154, third), junior Alexa Garrett (162, tied for seventh) and senior Eleanora Navarro (169, 11th).
And the record-setting score on Tuesday wasn’t even the best of the season for Kapaun, which routinely cracked a 300 team score with the season-best performance coming at the City League championships with a winning team score of 287 strokes.
“For sure, I think they are in that conversion,” Kapaun coach Marie Thomas said of the Crusaders’ possible status as the best ever. “It got to the point where I would show up at tournaments and coaches would tell me, ‘Congrats coach, you got them here, so I guess your job is done.’ They would say that half-jokingly, but there’s some meaning behind that. You look at the scores these girls post all season and they’re so consistent and they proved that once again at the top level of competition today. It makes me really proud to say I am a part of a historic team.”
Kapaun surprised some last year by winning the team title, but this season’s title was almost a foregone conclusion.
Not only did the Crusaders bring back two of their top golfers in Garrett and Navarro, but the addition of the Tilma sisters is what put this team into historic status. Kate Tilma, a senior, is one of the top golfers in Kansas and played her first season of high school golf to be on the same team as Meg, a freshman who also is one of the state’s best.
“I think it was just a really special opportunity for Kate to come out and play on the same team as her sister,” Thomas said. “I think she wanted to be a part of that because this might be the last chance they get at playing together on the same team.”
With the talent already in place, Thomas said her team was able to pull off such tremendous consistency by their work ethic — in practice and after practice.
“When they’re that good and that focused, it makes my job that much easier,” Thomas said. “It was so much fun to see how hard they continued to work, even though everybody was telling them all year they expected them to win state. They kept pushing themselves and they wanted to get better every day in practice. They were so focused.”
A perfect example of that came on the second day of the state tournament. Kapaun had essentially wrapped up the team title after the first day, but its team score of 330 was significantly higher than its season scoring average.
On Tuesday, Kapaun overcame difficult conditions with high wind gusts to shoot a team total of 306 — 56 better than any other team. The Tilma sisters each cut nearly 10 strokes off their first-day totals, as Kate fired a Tuesday-best 71 and Meg carded a 72 with Garrett also shaving eight stokes off her first-day total with a Tuesday round of 77.
Kapaun’s team was rounded out by juniors Madelyn Engel and Sophia Gimino.
“We never had to twist their arms to do anything,” Thomas said. “They were such a self-motivated group. I didn’t feel like we were as mentally sharp as we needed to be on Monday, but the girls came out and were locked in and ready to go. They’re a special, special group.”
Maize freshman completes perfect season with 5A title
Maize freshman Kinslea Jones completed an undefeated season on Tuesday when she won the Class 5A individual medalist honors at the state tournament played at Carey Park in Hutchinson.
After ending the first day tied for the lead with a 5-over round of 76, Jones shot a 1-over round of 72 on Tuesday to pull away from the field and win the title by three strokes over Kapaun’s Kate Tilma with a 36-hole winning total of 148.
Jones, the granddaughter of Wichita golfing legend Grier Jones, won all 10 of her starts this season.
“What stands out about Kinslea is that she’s got a plan and she follows it,” Maize coach Ben Harlow said. “When she plays a practice round, she selects places each hole where to hit the ball to set herself up to birdie, not to par. That’s what Division I athletes do. Her commitment to the game for someone her age is incredible.”
Other area medalists in 5A included Bishop Carroll junior Keira Ronsick (165, tied for ninth place) and Newton junior Lindsey Warsnak (180, tied for 17th place).
Collegiate freshman wins 3-1A medalist honors
Collegiate freshman Margaret Ulrich has competed in some of the biggest summer golf tournaments from around the country, but she had never seen conditions like Tuesday at the Hesston golf course.
With a state championship on the line and wind gusts making scoring extremely difficult, Ulrich overcame the conditions to shoot a 4-over round of 76 to seal the Class 3-1A state championship with a 36-hole total of 151 — seven strokes ahead of second place.
“She was so focused today and I thought her play was so impressive considering the conditions,” Collegiate coach Hans Widener said. “The fact she was able to keep her poise under that much pressure with the wind, it was quite something to watch.”
Ulrich’s title run was hardly a surprise. She came in as a top prospect and delivered a standout season at Collegiate, winning the league and regional titles before Tuesday as well.
Widener said the most impressive part of Ulrich’s game is her consistency for such a young player.
“In golf, we say that she has a swing where not a whole lot can go wrong,” Widener said. “It’s just so solid. She’s got the fundamentals down to the point where even if she makes a bad swing, it’s not going to hurt her much..
“It’s almost unheard of for a freshman to come out and win in a commanding victory the way she did today,” Widener said. “Most of the time, you’re just hoping a freshman qualifies for state. But Margaret is something special. I’m excited to see what she can do over the next three years.
Other area medalists in the 3-1A field included Wichita Trinity Academy junior Loralai Millspaugh (177, seventh) and Cheney junior Katilyn Fowler (185, 10th).
WInfield’s run at second 4A state title comes up one stroke short
At the Class 4A state tournament played at Salina Municipal, Winfield came up one stroke short of defending its team championship despite a furious rally on the final day.
Winfield trailed Wamego by 11 strokes entering Tuesday’s play and the Vikings nearly caught them with a team score of 349, the best one-day team score of the tournament. But Winfield fell a single stroke short to Wamego’s 36-hole team score of 717 strokes.
Winfield placed three in the top-12, as senior Chaney Littell finished tied for sixth with a score of 172 strokes, junior Savanna Nickum finished in a tie for eighth with a score of 173 and sophomore Carley Littell finished in 12th place with a score of 176.
Other area medalists in the 4A field included Buhler senior Callie Cooper (169, third), Pratt sophomore Avery Blasi (170, tied for fourth), Clearwater sophomore Alexis Elliott (175, 11th), Augusta junior Alexa Zweifel (177, 13th), Circle senior Mikayla Phillips (179, tied for 14th), Augusta senior Kyra Carrell (183, tied for 17th) and Wellington junior Kasiah Richmond (184, tied for 19th).
Kansas high school girls golf state results
Class 6A (at Emporia Municipal)
Teams—1. BV West 341-337—678; 2. Washburn Rural 334-351—685; 3. SM East 350-356—706; 4. Olathe East 361-360—721; 5. Olathe Northwest 360-363—723; 6. Olathe West 362-369—731. Missed cut: Garden City 388, Blue Valley 396, Dodge City 397, Manhattan 401, Campus 448, Wichita North 454.
Medalists—1. Misemer, BV West, 73-73—146; 2. Roman, SM East, 72-78—150; 3. Lyons, Olathe West, 80-79—159; 3. Neal, SM South, 75-84—159; 5. North, Washburn Rural, 77-83—160; 6. Neese, Blue Valley, 84-82—166; 7. Berquist, Lawrence Free State, 88-79—167; 7. Rodriguez, BV West, 87-80—167; 9. Armstrong, Dodge City, 89-79—168; 10. Warren, Garden City, 89-91—170; 11. Crough, Washburn Rural, 84-88—172; 12. Scott, Olathe East, 84-89—173; 12. Scott, Washburn Rural, 85-88—173; 12. Sullivan, Olathe Northwest, 87-86—173; 15. Hearshman, Olathe Northwest, 86-89—175; 16. Kim, BV West, 89-88—177; 17. Chilukuri, Olathe East, 90-88—178; 18. Kidwell, BV North, 94-85—179; 19. Blacketer, SM East, 90-90—180; 19. Merrick, Washburn Rural, 88-92—180; 19. Still, BV North, 97-83—180.
Class 5A (at Hutchinson’s Carey Park)
Teams—1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 330-306—636; 2. Hays 363-362—725; 3. Mill Valley 367-369—736; 4. BV Southwest 369-369—738; 5. Maize 373-374—747; 6. St. Thomas Aquinas 374-384—758. Missed cut: Bishop Carroll 381, Emporia 401, Topeka Seaman 402, St. James 408, Salina South 416, Newton 419.
Medalists—1. Jones, Maize, 76-72—148; 2. K. Tilma, Kapaun, 80-71—151; 3. M. Tilma, Kapaun, 82-72—154; 4. Green, Mill Valley, 76-83—159; 5. Deeter, Topeka Seaman, 81-80—161; 5. A. Eckert, Emporia, 78-83—161; 7. Garrett, Kapaun, 85-77—162; 7. Grant, St. James, 83-79—162; 9. Dinkel, Hays, 84-81—165; 9. Ronsick, Carroll, 82-83—165; 11. Navarro, Kapaun, 83-86—169; 12. Currier, BV Southwest, 86-84—170; 13. O. Eckert, Emporia, 88-85—173; 13. Strahm, Mill Valley, 88-85—173; 15. White, Aquinas, 89-88—177; 16. Norton, Salina South, 86-92—178; 17. Adkins, Aquinas, 92-88—180; 17. Johnson, BV Southwest, 89-91—180; 17. McCrae, Hays, 89-91—180; 17. Tinkler, BV Southwest, 89-91—180; 17. Warsnak, Newton, 95-85—180.
Class 4A (at Salina Municipal)
Teams—1. Wamego 358-359—717; 2. Winfield 369-349—718; 3. Topeka Hayden 375-361—736; 4. Tonganoxie 390-380—770; 5. Independence 392-407—799; 6. Pratt 388-416—804. Missed cut: Augusta 398, Buhler 401, Chanute 410, Andale 411, Fort Scott 419, Clay Center 423.
Medalists—1. York, Tonganoxie, 87-75—162; 2. Roeder, Topeka Hayden, 84-82—166; 3. Cooper, Buhler, 84-85—169; 4. Blasi, Pratt, 85-85—170; 4. Chipman, Fort Scott, 85-85—170; 6. Ch. Littell, Winfield, 86-86—172; 6. Pierson, Wamego, 87-85—172; 8. Nickum, Winfield, 87-86—173; 8. Vogt, Eudora, 84-89—173; 10. McKee, Wamego, 88-86—174; 11. Elliott, Clearwater, 85-90—175; 12. Ca. Littell, Winfield, 95-81—176; 13. Zweifel, Augusta, 90-87—177; 14. Hoobler, Wamego, 86-93—179; 14. Phillips, Circle, 91-88—179; 16. Bartel, Holton, 91-90—181; 17. Carrell, Augusta, 93-90—183; 17. Kueser, Chanute, 91-92—183; 19. Reynoldson, Topeka Hayden, 91-93—184; 19. Richmond, Wellington, 95-89—184.
Class 3-1A (at Hesston Golf Course)
Teams—1. Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan 357-348—705; 2. Colby 357-367—724; 3. Thomas More Prep 392-393—785; 4. Caney Valley 397-389—786; 5. Silver Lake 415-409—824; 6. Cimarron 419-449—868. Missed cut: Hoisington 423, Anderson County 431, Cheney 432, Fredonia 447, Jefferson West 448, Council Grove 453.
Medalists—1. Ulrich, Wichita Collegiate, 76-75—151; 2. Starbuck, Colby, 77-81—158; 3. Al. Scripsick, St. Mary’s Colgan, 77-83—160; 4. Marquess, Plainville, 86-76—162; 5. Buessing, Santa Fe Trail, 85-81—166; 6. Ison, St. Mary’s Colgan, 93-83—176; 7. Millspaugh, Wichita Trinity, 93-84—177; 8. Duke, Anderson County, 89-94—183; 8. Swezey, St. Mary’s Colgan, 88-95—183; 10. Fowler, Cheney, 92-93—185; 11. Goetting, St. Mary’s Colgan, 99-87—186; 12. Betz, Colby, 92-95—187; 12. Brummer, Thomas More Prep, 96-91—187; 14. Freisberg, Caney Valley, 95-93—188; 14. Stamper, Plainville, 99-89—188; 16. Schremmer, Hoisington, 101-90—191; 16. Zordel, Silver Lake, 94-97—191; 18. Sabatka, Colby, 99-93—192; 19. Sims, Colby, 95-98—193; 20. Av. Scripsick, St. Mary’s Colgan, 99-95—194.
This story was originally published October 20, 2021 at 6:54 AM.
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