Lions’ Wilson waxes field

LHS senior wins Firebird Invitational by seven strokes

It’s still early in the 2005 high school girls golf season, but the Sydney Wilson state-title watch officially has begun.

The Lawrence High senior dominated a field chock full of many of her Class 6A competitors Monday, firing a 5-over-par 77 to run away with a seven-shot victory at the Firebird Invitational at Eagle Bend Golf Course.

The commanding margin of victory had LHS coach Mike Lewis admitting what many in local golf circles have been sharing this fall – that Wilson has a legitimate shot at winning this year’s medalist honors in October at the state tournament.

“That definitely, in my opinion, puts her at the top of the Sunflower League and one of the top golfers in the state,” Lewis said. “It’s now up to her to continue to practice hard and get ready to go out and play.”

The performance in sometimes breezy conditions on the 5,471-yard layout had Wilson beaming in the post-tournament gathering area, yet also left her with a yearning for what could have been.

“I was pretty pleased until the last three holes,” said Wilson, who opened with a 37 on the back nine before closing out with a 40 on the front. “I feel like I should have finished stronger, but otherwise, I thought I played pretty well.”

Her scorecard, especially in relation to the rest of the 70-plus player field, certainly would bear that out. Wilson’s foursome started on No. 10 in the shotgun format, and she credited a quick birdie on No. 11, a short par 4, with setting the tone for her sterling 1-over effort before making the turn.

As dominant as the final outcome appeared, Wilson said she had to grind her way through Monday’s effort courtesy of a driver that continually failed to cooperate on the tee box.

“I was hitting my irons pretty close, and my short game saved me at various points throughout the day,” Wilson said. “My driver wasn’t that great.

“I need to go work on my driver. I wasn’t able to hit enough shots with it.”

Wilson’s score helped the shorthanded Lions finish two spots ahead of host Free State in the 15-team field. LHS fielded just the minimum four players needed to record a team score, with regular No. 2 player Jamie Shmalberg – a state-tournament entrant last fall – and No. 6 Brittaney Laughlin unable to miss school to compete. The Lions tallied 442 strokes, with the Firebirds finishing at 455.

Senior Ashley Robinson paced Free State with a 109.

“I’d say it looks like our practice is starting to pay off,” said Firebird coach Craig Hershiser said. “Our first competition was two weeks ago, and our scores have improved since then. I think it’s time to start talking about reasonable goals.”

Washburn Rural won the team title, easily outdistancing the field with 348 shots, finishing 37 shots ahead of runner-up Shawnee Mission South. The Junior Blues placed all four of their scoring players among the individual top 10.

That showing gives Rural the inside edge in retaining the trophy that goes to the team with the top combined score at the Firebird Invitational and the Lawrence Invitational, which will take place Sept. 22 at Alvamar. The Junior Blues won last year’s inaugural cup.

“I think Rural is a reflection of Jeff’s expectations,” said Hershiser, referring to coach Jeff Stromgren. “I think he demands quite a bit, and the girls know that coming in, and they really respond to it.”