Free State’s girls golf team ended on a strong note to finish in a tie for fourth place at the Class 6A state golf tournament on Tuesday at Hesston Golf Course. All but one of Free State’s golfers posted a better score in the second round compared to what they did during the opening round on Monday.

It led to the Firebirds shooting 16 strokes better in the final round, which was good enough for an overall score of 704 to match Blue Valley for fourth place in the team standings. Shawnee Mission East won the nine-team event with a total score of 631 to secure a state crown.

Sophomore Claire Berquist led the way for FSHS by shooting a 165, which included an 81 in the final round, to place seventh as an individual. Junior Addyson Meadows, who carded an 81 in the first round, finished in a tie for ninth with an overall score of 167.

No other Firebird finished inside the top-30, but there was still improvement in the second round for the rest of the squad. Senior Claire Covert shot an 89 in her final round of high school golf.

Sophomore Emma Stammeyer’s final round of 88 was 13 strokes better than her performance on Monday. Sophomore Marrah Spriggs also improved her score by 12 strokes en route to carding a 95 on Tuesday.

Lawrence High junior Rylie Hayden, meanwhile, was a model of consistency in her third trip to the state golf tourney. Hayden shot a 90 on both days to finish in 28th place with a score of 180. It marked the highest state finish of Hayden’s impressive golf career so far.

A pair of area golfers also posted strong performances at the Class 4A state golf tournament at the Emporia Municipal Golf Course.

Tonganoxie senior Morgan Brusven closed out her career by finishing in 10th place in the two-day event in Emporia. She shot 95 on the first day, but bounced back to post an 87 in the second round to finish 40 strokes above par overall.

In the same event, Eudora freshman Joellen Vogt made history by becoming the program’s first state medalist in girls golf. Vogt recorded a total score of 192 to finish in a tie for 20th place. Vogt tallied a 92 on Tuesday, which was eight strokes better than what she did in the opening round.

Class 6A state tournament

Team scores: 1. SM East 325-306, 631; 2. Blue Valley West 346-347, 693; 3. Olathe NW 351-350, 701; T-4. Free State 360-344, 704; T-4. Blue Valley 359-345, 704; 6. Manhattan 350-366, 716; 7. Derby 396-365, 761; 8. Dodge City 389-390, 779; 9. Garden City 403-388, 791

Individual state champion: Julia Misemer, Blue Valley West jr., 74-70, 144 (+3)

FSHS results: 7. Claire Berquist 84-81, 165; T-9, Addyson Meadows 81-86, 167; 33. Claire Covert 94-89, 183; T-39 Emma Stammeyer 101-88, 189; 52. Marrah Spriggs 107-95, 202.

LHS results: 28. Rylie Hayden 90-90, 180.

Class 4A state tournament

Team champion: Winfield 370-368, 738

Individual champion: Payton Ginter, Wellington sr., 82-76, 158 (+16)

THS results: 10. Morgan Brusven 95-87, 182

EHS results: T-20. Joellen Vogt 100-92, 192.