Free State golf takes 4th

There were plenty of nerves for Free State High’s girls golfers as they opened the season more than two weeks earlier than they usually do and only a few days since tryouts ended.

It didn’t seem to cause many problems.

The Firebirds finished fourth in the eight-team Mill Valley Invitational on Tuesday at Alvamar Golf Course with a total of 387 strokes, led by seniors Emily Bermel (seventh) and Karen Campbell (10th), who each turned in a score of 86 to place in the top 10. Senior Erin Meyers (104) and sophomore Anne Goebel (111) also contributed.

“It’s the best score I’ve shot at Alvamar ever,” Campbell said. “I feel like I improved a lot over the summer, so I didn’t really feel like it was my best round, but I was happy with how it went.”

Free State usually waits until the middle of September for its first meet of the season, the first leg of the Sunflower League, but coach Layne Meyer didn’t think it would be a problem because he returns five golfers to the team from last year’s state tournament.

“We do have such a veteran team, so I wasn’t worried how they would handle an early start like this,” Meyer said. “I thought it would be good for them to get out this early and get the competitive juices flowing, and I thought they did well.”

The Firebirds were mostly happy with their days.

“I was really nervous through like the first five holes,” Bermel said. “The first hole was awful. I was so nervous. I don’t know why. But it’s kind of sad knowing this is like my last year playing golf forever … I’m ready to enjoy it.”