Overland Park ? Sydney Wilson decided to concentrate on golf this fall after playing golf and volleyball as a freshman and sophomore at Lawrence High.

The junior — who knew focusing on one sport would make life easier and give her more time to improve on the links — will find out today if the sacrifice was worth it.

“I have so much more time to put into golf,” said Wilson, who will be among the favorites at the Class 6A state meet at St. Andrews Golf Club. “Last year, I’d go to volleyball practice from 3:20 until 6. Then I’d go straight to the golf course and play as much golf as I could before it got dark.”

That was usually five holes. Not much for a developing young player.

“It was hectic and stressful,” she said, “because then I’d have to go home and do a lot of homework.”

The honor-roll student has more time for homework and golf these days. Of course, measuring improvement isn’t easy when you consider Wilson was the 6A regional champion and the Sunflower League and state runner-up last year.

Wilson has won four tournaments this year, including league and region the past two weeks.

She won Monday’s regional with a six-over 78 on a cold, wet Topeka Public Golf Course. Wilson won despite finishing with a bogey on No. 16, double-bogey on 17 and par on 18.

“I need to hit my irons better than regionals,” said Wilson, who prepared for state by playing St. Andrews on Friday and Sunday. “I just want to have a solid round.”

Wilson — a three-time state qualifier — will tee off at 10:30 a.m. today. Teammates Whitney Juneau (10 a.m.) and Jamie Shmalburg (10:10 a.m.) also will be in the field. They will face a St. Andrews course that has water hazards on five of the front-nine holes and several doglegs, bunkers and tighter fairways on the back nine.

“I just have to have confidence in my swing and play my best,” Wilson said.