photo by: Photo courtesy Eric Toot

Baldwin's girls golf team poses at the 4A state golf tournament at Hesston Golf Course on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

Baldwin High School’s girls golf team placed sixth in the 4A state golf tournament at Hesston Golf Course that concluded on Tuesday with a score of 754, while more golfers from in and around Lawrence competed across the various state tournaments.

This was the first season that the Bulldogs could compete as a team, and only the second year that the school has featured a golf team. The results were promising for the budding program.

“We reached all of our goals that we had,” Baldwin coach Eric Toot said. “Our goal going into state was to make it to day two, and we did that. All of our girls got to play on day two, and that was a grind. We ended on a good note.”

Toot said that the team continued to improve throughout the year. While Toot said he wasn’t sure what he had in the team when he stepped in to coach, the Bulldogs accomplished a lot. From winning their league and regional to placing at state, the Bulldogs did all they hoped to do.

Peyton Wright led the Bulldogs with a score of 162, which was eighth-best in the 4A tournament. Jada Sansome followed Wright with a 182 that was 21st in the tournament. Carson Chambers shot a 198, Charity Thompson finished shooting 220, and Kristen Manbeck rounded out the Baldwin top five at 227 on the day. Addy Scraper placed sixth on the team with a 263.

Wright led Baldwin throughout the year and once again led her team at state. Even with tough wins and some putts that didn’t fall her way, Wright stayed locked in and had a performance that impressed her coach at state.

“She was phenomenal, and had been all year,” Toot said. “She played better at state than her score showed. It was just a couple rounds she didn’t make some putts consistently, but she handled it well, mentally. From tee to green, she was outstanding.”

Toot won’t return to the team next season as he is retiring, but he’s excited for what the team can continue to accomplish going forward. To keep building the program, the team needs to keep practicing together.

“Step one is to go back out,” he said. “Some of them have learned they can really make progress with the sport. Some of them have that hunger for golf now.”

Eudora’s golf team didn’t place in the top six teams, but the Cardinals had two golfers qualify for the second day of the state tournament and place within the top 56 golfers. Marleigh Grant placed 11th overall in the 4A tournament with a score of 170, while Brooklynn Akers tied for 26th individually at 191.

In the 6A tournament at Carey Park in Hutchinson, both Lawrence High School and Free State High School sent golfers, but the only one to qualify for the second day of the tournament was Free State’s Merrit Hale. She placed 43rd overall with a 182 score.