Lawrence High golfer Beatrice Lopez watches her drive from the first tee on Monday, Oct. 2, 2017 during the Free State Invitational at Lawrence Country Club.

Playing through wind gusts and fast greens at Lawrence Country Club on Monday, Lawrence High junior golfer Olivia Wallen responded with one of her strongest rounds of the season.

Wallen, in her first varsity season, shot a 117 on Monday, tying for 55th place at the Free State Invitational. Throughout her round, she kept focus on one piece of advice: stay down on the ball.

“Every time I go up to hit, I have to keep that in mind, ‘Stay down, stay down, stay down,'” Wallen said. “That’s really, I think, what’s helped me the most because then I make more solid contact. Even if it doesn’t go far, most of the time it goes straight.”

Wallen, who practiced throughout the summer, carded a 57 on the back nine, making par on the 18th hole. She said she was helped by strong shots off of the fairway with her hybrid and six-iron.

Just ahead of Wallen, Lawrence junior Beatrice Lopez shot a team-best 114, tying for 50th place. The Lions finished 15th in the team standings.

“She’s come a long way over the year,” LHS coach John Moos said of Wallen. “It’s really good to see her start to peak here right ahead of regionals next week.”

Lopez wasn’t happy with her round, disappointed with some of her tee shots because it hurt her on the long course.

Throughout the season, Lopez has proven herself as the school’s most consistent player.

“So far I’ve been improving except for this tournament,” Lopez said, “but that’s OK.”

When Lopez played as a freshman in 2015, she was the school’s only varsity golfer. A two-time state qualifier, she said it’s been “a lot more fun” this season with a full lineup.

LHS junior Emily Johnson fired a 120, finishing in 63rd place. Ashley Dykes shot a 130 and Josie Abernathy followed with a 131.

Firebirds tie for sixth

If there was any pressure of playing in their home tournament, Free State’s girls golfers didn’t show it.

Sophomores Tyler Bane, Kate Lawrence and Kennedy Birk all recorded their best scores of the year, helping the Firebirds tie for sixth in the team standings.

Bane tied for 28th with a 101, Lawrence fired a 104 and Birk shot a 112. Sophomore Hannah Vaughn tied her score from last week with a 115, while senior Tori Hoopingarner tied for 26th with a team-best score of 100.

Free State High golfer Tori Hoopingarner drives from the first tee on Monday, Oct. 2, 2017 during the Free State Invitational at Lawrence Country Club.

For Lawrence, she said the wind made her ball fly in different directions but she tried to use it to her advantage.

“I think my drives have got better and I focused more,” Lawrence said.

With all of the team’s golfers, except for Hoopingarner, new to the varsity level, Free State coach Layne Meyer said the experience they are gaining in tournaments is paying off.

“Tori has been our most consistent golfer all year,” Meyer said. “To see some of our other girls, their scores getting lower, obviously that helps us from a team standpoint. It’s good to see.”

Free State Invitational

Monday at Lawrence Country Club

Team results: Shawnee Mission East 347, St. Thomas Aquinas 356, Olathe Northwest 360, Mill Valley 388, Blue Valley Northwest 412, Blue Valley Southwest 417, Free State 417, Blue Valley North 432, Leavenworth 459, Olathe North 460, Olathe South 463, Shawnee Mission South 466, Olathe East 471, Shawnee Mission Northwest 474, Lawrence 481, Shawnee Mission North 565.

Medalists: 1. Bella Hadden, MV, 80; 2. Karoline Nelson, SME, 80; 3. Alexandra Pappas, BVNW, 83; 4. Rosie Klausner, ONW, 85; 5. Elise Handley, STA, 85; 6. Julia Stopperan, SME, 85; 7. Julia Kline, ONW, 89; 8. Emma LInscott, SME, 89; 9. Melanie Valle, STA, 89; 10. Sarah Lawson, MV, 90.

FSHS results: 26. Tori Hoopingarner, 100; 28. Tyler Bane, 101; 33. Kate Lawrence, 104; 48. Kennedy Birk, 112; 53. Hannah Vaughn, 115.

LHS results: 50. Beatrice Lopez, 114; 55. Olivia Wallen, 117; 63. Emily Johnson, 120; 72. Ashley Dykes, 130; 75. Josie Abernathy, 131.