photo by: Courtesy photo from FSHS girls golf

Free State's girls golf team posed with a runner-up plaque after placing second at its 6A regional meet at Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. The Firebirds qualified for the state golf tournament as a team for the third year in a row.

For the third year in a row, Free State’s entire varsity girls golf team will be competing in the state tournament.

The Firebirds finished as a runner-up in their 6A regional meet Monday afternoon at Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe. FSHS shot 355 as a team, finishing just five strokes behind Manhattan High. Olathe Northwest also qualified as a team by placing third with a score of 357.

Free State was led by a pair of top-10 finishes en route to securing a regional runner-up plaque. Claire Berquist led the team by taking fifth as an individual, shooting an 87 for the day. Emma Stammeyer placed eighth with a score of 88.

Lawrence High’s girls golf team, meanwhile, will be sending one individual to the final tournament of the season. Junior Rylie Hayden carded an 89 for the day, which was good enough for ninth place and to finish as the fourth-highest individual qualifier. This will be Hayden’s third trip to the state tourney in as many years.

The Class 6A state tournament is slated to take place next week at the Hesston Golf Course. It will be a two-day event, starting at 10 a.m. Monday.

In area golf, Eudora freshman Joellen Vogt made history on Monday. Vogt placed eighth as an individual at her regional meet, becoming the program’s first-ever state qualifier in golf. The Class 4A state tournament will take place at Emporia Municipal Golf Course, and will also be a two-day event that begins on Monday.

Class 6A regionals

Monday at Prairie Highlands Golf Course

Top-three teams: 1. Manhattan 350; 2. Free State 355; 3. Olathe Northwest 357.

Top-10 individuals: 1. Madelyn Luttjohann, Washburn Rural, 84; 2. Andi Siebert, MHS, 84; 3. McKenzie Kelso, ONW, 85; 4. Elizabeth Lyons, OW, 85; 5. Claire Berquist, FS, 87; 6. Aben Ryan, MHS, 87; 7. Avery Scott, WR, 88; 8. Emma Stammeyer, FS, 88; 9. Rylie Hayden, LHS, 89; 10. Rhys Phipp, MHS, 89.

Top-6 Individual Qualifiers: Madelyn Luttjohann, WR, 84; Elizabeth Lyons, OW, 85; Avery Scott, WR, 88; Rylie Hayden, LHS, 89; Mallory Nelson, WR, 91; Bailey Basham, OW, 93.

FSHS results: 5. Claire Berquist 87; 8. Emma Stammeyer 88; 11. Claire Covert 90; 11. Addyson Meadows 90; 18. Marrah Spriggs 93.

LHS results: 9. Rylie Hayden 89; 25. Emma Parsons 103; 33. Emmersyn Dye 110; 36. Peyton Fowler 114; 40. Jetta Gonzales 135.