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GIRLS GOLF: Trojans get started in right direction at Liberty Invitational
By Bill Knust
The evidence that a young Park Hill High girls golf team is on the right track was on display at the season-opening Liberty Invitational.
The Trojans finished seventh out of 13 teams at Liberty Hills Country Club on Monday, Aug. 25. It was a vast improvement over the Trojans’ next-to-last-place finish at the invitational last year with four of the same golfers.
“We did a thing this summer where we played nine holes every Monday as a team,” coach Taralyn Garner said. “We have seen improvement. They’re young and they are going to get better. They are excited about playing, and that is a huge difference.”
The Trojans started senior Paige Loelkes, sophomores Stephanie Atkinson, Erica Crainshaw and Samantha Brunker, and freshman Anna Kloeppel.
Garner is quite excited about her team, especially Kloeppel. The youngest player finished with the lowest score.
“They’re a great group of girls,” Garner said. “When they are seniors look out, we will be in the top three then. We are still growing.”
Falcons make school history
Staley’s girls golf team made history when it became the first-ever varsity team to compete in an event. The Falcons were at Liberty Hills for the Liberty Invitational.
“It is exciting,” coach Monte Harmon said. “We are excited to be the first and represent Staley athletics.”
The young team is low on numbers, as just seven girls went out for the team, but Harmon said he is excited about the girls that chose to come out.
“They have been great to work with,” Harmon said. “They are charming young ladies to work with, but they are young as many of the teams at Staley are. We are going to continue to get better.”
The biggest thing that has caught Harmon’s eye is that they have good swings and hit the ball well.
“Our short game needs to improve though,” Harmon said. “It will get better as we go.”
Staley’s opening five were juniors Hilary Griffith and Ashley Upschulte, sophomores Bree Fowler and Carly Beeck, and freshman Bailey Holloway.
North Kansas City looking for steady improvement
North Kansas City coach Jill Jones knows her program is not going to be competing with the private schools for state titles any time soon.
However, Jones does want to see her team improve as the season progresses. It is something she saw her team do last year, and she thinks it is a reachable goal once again this year.
The Hornets only have eight golfers out, but three players return from last year’s team.
“The top three girls are returning for their third year,” Jones said. “They have never played as No. 1 or No. 2, the best they would have played last year is No. 3 or No. 4, but they are moving up to take that top spot. I think they will do well.”
One of the tougher parts for Jones is that none of her players belong to a course, so it is tough for the players to get in practice rounds outside the season.
“It is hard to play in the summers when you don’t belong to a course,” Jones said. “A couple of them did take lessons this year, which is great.”
The Hornets top six for the season are seniors Patty Barnes, Rachel Kautz and Natalie Bates, junior Amanda Landers and sophomores Olivia Scalise and Ornela Pashaj.
Park Hill South sports familiar team
The Panthers’ girls golf team returns all of its golfers from last season, including senior Felicia Ramirez, who was a state qualifier.
The Panthers were sixth at the season-opening Liberty Invitational, but coach Larry Torgerson knows there is plenty of room for improvement.
“It is nice to have the whole team back, but I think a little more experience of them playing this summer would have helped,” Torgerson said. “We are still a little green.”
Among Torgerson’s chief concerns is finding a starting five this season. While his chosen five took sixth at Liberty, another group of Park Hill South golfers got in a nine-hole round at Hodge Park.
“We will find out,” Torgerson said. “We are just trying to get our top players arranged. We have had only 10 days of practice, so there isn’t a lot you can learn. We will get it figured out.”
Sports writer Bill Knust can be reached at 389-6605 or billknust@npgco.com.
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The Trojans finished seventh out of 13 teams at Liberty Hills Country Club on Monday, Aug. 25. It was a vast improvement over the Trojans’ next-to-last-place finish at the invitational last year with four of the same golfers.
“We did a thing this summer where we played nine holes every Monday as a team,” coach Taralyn Garner said. “We have seen improvement. They’re young and they are going to get better. They are excited about playing, and that is a huge difference.”
The Trojans started senior Paige Loelkes, sophomores Stephanie Atkinson, Erica Crainshaw and Samantha Brunker, and freshman Anna Kloeppel.
Garner is quite excited about her team, especially Kloeppel. The youngest player finished with the lowest score.
“They’re a great group of girls,” Garner said. “When they are seniors look out, we will be in the top three then. We are still growing.”
Falcons make school history
Staley’s girls golf team made history when it became the first-ever varsity team to compete in an event. The Falcons were at Liberty Hills for the Liberty Invitational.
“It is exciting,” coach Monte Harmon said. “We are excited to be the first and represent Staley athletics.”
The young team is low on numbers, as just seven girls went out for the team, but Harmon said he is excited about the girls that chose to come out.
“They have been great to work with,” Harmon said. “They are charming young ladies to work with, but they are young as many of the teams at Staley are. We are going to continue to get better.”
The biggest thing that has caught Harmon’s eye is that they have good swings and hit the ball well.
“Our short game needs to improve though,” Harmon said. “It will get better as we go.”
Staley’s opening five were juniors Hilary Griffith and Ashley Upschulte, sophomores Bree Fowler and Carly Beeck, and freshman Bailey Holloway.
North Kansas City looking for steady improvement
North Kansas City coach Jill Jones knows her program is not going to be competing with the private schools for state titles any time soon.
However, Jones does want to see her team improve as the season progresses. It is something she saw her team do last year, and she thinks it is a reachable goal once again this year.
The Hornets only have eight golfers out, but three players return from last year’s team.
“The top three girls are returning for their third year,” Jones said. “They have never played as No. 1 or No. 2, the best they would have played last year is No. 3 or No. 4, but they are moving up to take that top spot. I think they will do well.”
One of the tougher parts for Jones is that none of her players belong to a course, so it is tough for the players to get in practice rounds outside the season.
“It is hard to play in the summers when you don’t belong to a course,” Jones said. “A couple of them did take lessons this year, which is great.”
The Hornets top six for the season are seniors Patty Barnes, Rachel Kautz and Natalie Bates, junior Amanda Landers and sophomores Olivia Scalise and Ornela Pashaj.
Park Hill South sports familiar team
The Panthers’ girls golf team returns all of its golfers from last season, including senior Felicia Ramirez, who was a state qualifier.
The Panthers were sixth at the season-opening Liberty Invitational, but coach Larry Torgerson knows there is plenty of room for improvement.
“It is nice to have the whole team back, but I think a little more experience of them playing this summer would have helped,” Torgerson said. “We are still a little green.”
Among Torgerson’s chief concerns is finding a starting five this season. While his chosen five took sixth at Liberty, another group of Park Hill South golfers got in a nine-hole round at Hodge Park.
“We will find out,” Torgerson said. “We are just trying to get our top players arranged. We have had only 10 days of practice, so there isn’t a lot you can learn. We will get it figured out.”
Sports writer Bill Knust can be reached at 389-6605 or billknust@npgco.com.