Tiger golfers fourth in 4A

EL DORADO -- Fort Scott High School's golf team finished fourth at the Class 4A State Tournament here Tuesday.

The top five teams were separated by only eight strokes. Andover, the runner-up last year, shot 319 as a team. Second-place Chanute and defending champion Topeka Hayden tied for second at 322 with Chanute winning the tie-breaker. The Tigers were fourth at 3245 and Buhler was fifth at 327.

"In a year when the scores were somewhat higher we had an opportunity to win this tournament," Fort Scott head coach Ken Klassen said. "We gave it a run and came up a little short. Two strokes out of second and third and five out of first was close."

Cole Murrin finished in seventh place as he shot 34 on the front nine and 42 on the back for a score of 76. Several players matched that total with playoffs determining the official order.

The top 20 players, including ties, medaled with 79 being the lowest score that did so. Paul Norris was Fort Scott's next-best score with 39-42--81. Evan Heiser shot 40-43--83 and Tanner Beckham was the Tigers' fourth team score with his 40-44--84. Dylan Renfro shot 43-47--90 for the Tigers while Nolan Stark finished at 44-48--92.

Murrin, Norris and Renfro were seniors. Murrin medaled in every tournament he played this season.

"(This is) a group of seniors that will greatly missed," Klassen said, "for their good play, but especially for their attitudes that has made this group of kids a privilege to know and work with. Tanner, Evan, and Nolan will be the nucleus of a squad that will seek a fourth player to compete well next year.

"They can be proud of their accomplishments this year. As a team, we medaled at all our tournaments this year, winning three including our Regional."

Myles Miller of Wellington won the individual crown with a 67. He was sixth at State last season. Corbin Mihelic of Andover followed with a 74 and Riley Haas of Colby was third with a 75.

Chanute's Jeremy Gant and Mitchell Hale tied for 11th with scores of 77. Fort Scott Regional champion Clay Crawford of Paola finished tied for 18th at 79 as did Andrew Schoech of Columbus.

Independence was the other Southeast Kansas League team in the field. The Bulldogs finished 12th at 372.

Team scores

1. Andover 319, 2. Chanute 322, 3. Topeka Hayden 322, 4. Fort Scott 324, 5. Buhler 327, 6. Meriden-Jefferson West 335, 7. Hesston 335, 8. Paola 338, 9. Ulysses 344, 10. Lenexa St. James Academy 350, 11. DeSoto 351, 12. Independence 372.

Medalists

1. Miller, Wellington, 67; 2. Mihelic, Andover 74, 3. Haas, Colby, 75, 4. Hecker, Russell, 76; 5. Schulte, Buhler, 76;

6. Dunlap, Hugoton, 76; 7. Murrin, Fort Scott, 76; 8. Meisch, Andover, 76; 9. Deal, Concordia, 77; 10. Walker, Topeka Hayden, 77;

11 (tie). Gant, Chanute; Hale, Chanute; George, Nickerson; Yates, Tonganoxie; Monaghan, Buhler; Dune, Wichita Independent; O'Hair, Andale, 78;

18 (tie). Moore, Ottawa; Crawford, Paola; Heatherly, Girard; Bryson, Paola; Valviva, Topeka Hayden; Hayden, Augusta; Fritz, Anderson County; Schoech, Columbus, 79.