Kansas high school girls golf state qualifiers: Newton sophomore already a contender
Since the age of 6, Naomi Koontz, has enjoyed golf as a way to spend time with her father.
The Newton native has grown up playing Sand Creek Station, spending countless hours there refining her game with her father, Matthew, and her older brother, Caleb.
All of that time with her family has also made Koontz, now a sophomore at Newton, one of the top high school girls golfers in the state of Kansas. She shot a 1-under score of 70 at Carey Park on Monday to win individual medalist honors at a Class 5A regional tournament hosted by Hutchinson.
Koontz’s quality has made her one of the strongest contenders for next week’s 5A state tournament, played at Salina Municipal Golf Course on Monday and Tuesday.
“Golf definitely brought us closer together and it was something we could always talk about and have with each other,” Koontz said. “My dad has helped me become a harder worker with the game and he helps me so much with my mental game and my attitude. It’s just really special to have that.”
After years of success on the junior golf circuit, Koontz was an immediate title contender last season at Newton, finished fourth place overall at the state tournament and earned All-Metro recognition. This season has been no different, as Koontz has averaged 69.5 strokes in 18-hole tournaments, shot under par in seven of her nine tournaments — she’s 16-under through 153 holes this season — and won six tournament titles, including the AV-CTL Division II and regional gold medals.
Newton coach Joanie Pauls said those years of experience playing, often alongside her father, is what has prepared Koontz to contend for a state title.
“Her short game is so strong,” Pauls said. “She is a very even-keeled kid and such a hard worker. And because she has such a great short game, she never feels like she is out of a hole. That allows her to stay patient on holes. And then she’s also added some distance off the tee this year from last year, so that’s really helped her scores come down.
With the state golf tournaments slated for next Monday and Tuesday in Hutchinson (6A), Salina (5A), Hesston (4A and Emporia (3-1A), here is a look at the Wichita-area golfers who qualified for the state tournaments.
Kansas high school girls golf state qualifiers from Wichita area
Class 6A Liberal regional
1. Kinslea Jones, Maize, 68
2. Alina Lam, Wichita Southeast, 75
3. Charlotte Kerbs, Maize, 81
5. Hailey Moore, Wichita Southeast, 87
6. Emma Hays, Maize, 91
8. Abigail Cavazos, Maize, 94
8. Reese Hawkins, Wichita Southeast, 94
12. Jayden Ramsey, Maize, 98
13. Hadley Topping, Maize, 100
14. Addison Oetken, Derby, 102
16. Austyn Teufel, Derby, 106
25. Violet Bigley, Wichita Southeast, 121
33. Lauren Floyd, Wichita Southeast, 136
Class 6A Washburn Rural regional
22. Addie Patterson, Campus, 118
Class 5A Hutchinson regional
1. Naomi Koontz, Newton, 70
3. Sydney Chapman, Goddard, 87
6. Hayli Stevens, Goddard, 94
6. Ava Burlie, Hutchinson, 94
9. Lily Rodriguez, Hutchinson, 98
10. Lydia Patterson, Hutchinson, 99
10. Brynn Hall, Hutchinson, 99
13. Katie Anderson, Valley Center, 101
15. Bailey Rhodes, Newton, 104
Class 5A Kapaun Mt. Carmel regional
1. Regan Dusenbery, Andover, 72
2. Ximena Sarinana, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 76
3. Natalee Runyan, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 78
4. Emma Nguyen, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 83
5. Mary Bina, Bishop Carroll, 85
6. Maddy Cartwright, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 87
7. Isabel Hawley, Andover, 92
8. Stella Wright, Eisenhower, 93
9. Claire Runyan, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 95
9. Alexis Ross, Bishop Carroll, 95
11. Aspen Colquhon, Arkansas City, 96
12. Remi Hartley, Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 97
13. Katelyn Timmermeyer, Bishop Carroll, 98
13. Ashley Kramer, Andover Central, 98
15. Kaylin Dorsey, Bishop Carroll, 99
15. Maren Nelson, Andover, 99
15. Aubrey Hardtarfer, Eisenhower, 99
15. Riley Pate, Eisenhower, 99
20. Kinsley Montgomery, Bishop Carroll, 102
22. Sydney McLain, Andover, 106
22. Grier Hand, Andover, 106
26. Rhys Hauserman, Bishop Carroll, 112
35. Emily Meyer, Andover, 125
Class 4A Coffeyville regional
1. Lilli Sympson, Winfield, 82
2. Kaylee Cox, Augusta, 86
7. Ava Torrance, Winfield, 96
9. Ellasyn Mettlin, Augusta, 97
12. Gabby Rettig, Augusta, 99
12. Elise Richardson, Augusta, 99
15. Emma Johnson, Circle, 101
17. Clover Maples, Winfield, 106
19. Gentry Mallon, Augusta, 110
19. Shia Solis-Hold, Winfield, 110
22. Rachel Womeldorff, Augusta, 116
Class 4A McPherson regional
1. Brodie Kuhn, McPherson, 69
3. Andi Buschbom, McPherson, 77
6. Anika Paulsrud, Buhler, 80
10. Macy Miller, Buhler, 85
11. Reese Elliott, McPherson, 87
11. Addison Specht, Buhler, 87
14. Juliette Shank, Buhler, 89
14. Harlie Terrell, Buhler, 89
17. Pera Bauer, McPherson, 93
25. Hattie Gibson, McPherson, 102
34. Addison French, McPherson, 115
Class 4A Ulysses regional
3. Presley Cornejo, Wellington, 89
4. Claire Ginter, Wellington, 90
7. Taryn Viramontes, Wellington, 95
8. Haley Gulick, Wellington, 96
8. Makena Hampton, Clearwater, 96
10. Billie Jo Chaffin, Andale, 100
11. Bella Angleton, Wellington, 101
11. Kolbie McEwen, Rose Hill, 101
15. Sadie Aylward, Andale, 104
16. Jacee Mattox, Andale, 105
22. Jayna Lies, Andale, 109
27. Kenna Maxwell, Wellington, 115
35. Eva Krehbiel, Andale, 126
36. Peyton Jantz, Andale, 129
Class 3-1A Caney Valley regional
1. Margaret Ulrich, Collegiate, 83
Class 3-1A Cheney regional
4. Elizabeth Hosford, Hesston, 100
5. Wendy Roth, Hesston, 101
8. Hailey Wells, Cheney, 106
9. Raegen Black, Cheney, 107
10. Jewelynn Reese, Pretty Prairie, 108
12. Teagan Dick, Kingman, 110
13. Katy Wehrman, Cheney, 101
17. Regan Eilert, Hesston, 112
18. Brynn Thiesen, Hesston, 116
21. Maci Kramer, Hesston, 127
40. Chloe Vogt, Hesston, 153
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