Tigers, Murrin win home tourney; Chanute takes SEK

Fort Scott's Cole Murrin putts on No. 9 during the Fort Scott Invitational Thursday at the Fort Scott Country Club. He shot a 70 on the day to win the individual crown. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

Cole Murrin, in his second tournament back from knee surgery, recorded his second consecutive tournament victory, shooting a 38-32--70 to take the Fort Scott Invitational at Fort Scott Country Club Thursday.

That score helped the Tigers win the team title by five strokes over Chanute, 312-317. Pittsburg was only one stroke farther back in third place at 318.

While both those scores were Fort Scott's best this season for the team and an individual, they weren't enough to overtake Chanute for the Southeast Kansas League championship. The Blue Comets held on to finish with a four-tournament total of 1,282. Fort Scott, second at 1,299, was the only other school to shoot under 1,300 over the course of league play. Pittsburg finished third at 1,312.

The Tigers had won the SEK each of the past two seasons. Chanute won the league for the first time since taking it back to back in 1994 and 1995.

The individual crown also went to Chanute over Fort Scott. Jeremy Gant, second in the tournament with a 36-37--73, finished SEK play with a total of 298. Murrin came in at 307, which was seven strokes better than Pittsburg's Landon Williams, the third-place golfer. Williams finished fifth in Thursday's tournament.

The still-damp conditions precluded the use of the newer nine holes, so the competitors played the original nine twice, using different tee placings each time around.

Murrin won his third tourney crown of the season with a score that was one stroke lower than his previous best, a 71 that won the Iola SEK tourney on April 1st.

"Nothing bothered him," Fort Scott head coach Ken Klassen said. "His knee certainly doesn't bother him. He's altered his swing a little bit, but I think he's adjusting to his knee and what he has to do to still hit the ball long and straight.

"He putted better, especially on the second nine. That's important for me to see."

Pittsburg's Jon Nichols, a freshman, was third at 34-39--73, losing the scorecard playoff to Gant. Skyler Miner of Chanute followed with a 37-40--77, beating out Williams (37-40) on a scorecard playoff.

Scorecard playoffs compare each competitor's score on different holes. It took 10 playoff holes to break a tie between Tigers Chris Brown (38-41) and Paul Norris (39-40) after each shot 79 (Austin Carter of Labette County also finished at 37-42--79 but was eliminated from the tie on an earlier hole).

Chris Brown aims for the pin on No. 9. He and Paul Norris each shot 79 to finish sixth and seventh, respectively, after tie-breakers. (Captured Images/Kenny Felt)

"Chris and Paul, both in the 70's where I like to see them," Klassen said. "Chris was capable of shooting down around par today. He had a few rough holes but fought hard.

"Paul has, once again, had a great year. He ends up his regular season as he began it, with a score in the 70's. He should be proud of his work this year and his performance today."

Dylan Renfro added the final score to the Tiger team total with his 41-43--84.

"Dylan has fought and been in the low 90s and upper 80s," Klassen noted. "Today, being in the lower half of the 80's, it was an important day for him so he can see for himself that he can accomplish what we need him to do."

Tanner Beckham shot 45-43--88 for Fort Scott and Andrew Defebaugh carded 48-43--91 to round out varsity scores.

"Tanner has struggled this year to be consistently in the 80s," Klassen said. "This 88 is a solid score. If he can better that by a few strokes, he can help us at the Regional.

"Andrew, a senior, hasn't seen a great deal of varsity action this year but he won that sixth spot through a playoff we have on the team," Klassen said. "His 91 was his best for the year and I think he can get under 90 at Fredonia."

Norris finished fifth in the final SEK individual standings with a four-tourney total of 319. Brown finished seventh at 326. The top 10 players in league play receive All-SEK first team honors.

The next 10 players, including ties, receive honorable mention status. Renfro earned a place on that last as he finished 15th with a score of 351.

Next for the Tigers is the Fredonia Class 4A Regional Tournament, which will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the Fredonia Country Club.

"We have our work cut out for us," Klassen said. "Chanute was behind us today but they are still the team to beat at Regionals. Girard has finished near us a few times this year. So I know that to qualify for State, we're going to have to play just as well as we did today on a course that's not our home course. So we'll do our best."

NOTES -- The Regional field is nine teams: every SEK school except Pittsburg, plus Girard and host Fredonia....

Chanute finished ahead of Fort Scot in four of the other five five tournaments in which they were both entered. The Blue Comets won each of the other three SEK tournaments and finished second at Coffeyville. The Tigers were second at the Iola SEK tourney and third at Independence, Columbus and Coffevyille. Fort Scott won the Pittsburg Invitational while Chanute finished an uncharacteristic eighth....

Murrin has won three tournaments this season and finished second in another. Brown won the Buck Quincy Invitational at Iola and was third at Chanute. They each have medaled in every tournament they've played in this season -- eight for Brown and six for Murrin.

Norris has won medals in six of the eight tournaments he's played in with a high of second at the Buck Quincy Invitational. Beckham medaled in consecutive tournaments: Columbus and the Quincy invite. (To clarify, Iola hosted two tournaments)...

The Tigers have seen Girard in three varsity tournaments this season, finishing ahead of the Trojans all three times. However, based on the individual scores and the names on the list, it appears as though Girard sent a JV team to the Coffeyville Invitational on April 22....

Team Score

1. Fort Scott (FS) 312 (Murrin 70, Brown 79, Norris 79, Renfro 84), 2. Chanute (CH) 317 (Gant 73, Miner 77, Hale 83, Gard 84), 3. Pittsburg (PT) 318 (J.Nichols 73, Williams 77, Casey 83, Orcheln 85, T.Nichols 86),

4. Labette County (LC) 340 (Carter 79, Fentress 86, Arb 86, Boss 89), 5. Parsons 343 (Walters 83, Darkis 85, Heenan 87, Hoisington 88), 6. Iola (IO) 346 (Manbeck 82, Walden 88, C.Ellis 88, A.Ellis 88),

7. Coffeyville 347 (Vacca 83, Watts 86, Hurlbutt 88, Yeubanks 90), 8. Independence 355 (Botts 83, Goad 84, Webster 89, Strycker 99), 9. Columbus (CL) 390 (Schoech 82, Kitch 98, Beech 100, Torchia 110).

1. Cole Murrin, FS, 38-32--70; 2. Jeremy Gant, CH, 36-37--73; 3. Jon Nichols, PT, 34-39--73; 4. Skyler Miner, CH, 37-40--77; 5. Landon Williams, PT, 37-40--77;

6. Chris Brown, FS, 38-41--79; 7. Paul Norris, 39-40--79; 8. Austin Carter, LC, 37-42--79; 9. Corbin Manbeck, IO, 43-39--82; 10. Andrew Schoech, CL, 40-42--82.