By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
The Seaman girls claimed the United Kansas Conference golf championship at Village Greens by dominating the top of the leader board.
Seaman's girls golf team poses for a team picture after running away with its second straight United Kansas Conference championship Tuesday at Village Greens Golf Course. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The top two finishers Tuesday were in familiar territory.
Seaman junior Jaycee Zimmerman shot a 79 to post a two-shot individual victory in Tuesday's United Kansas Conference girls golf tournament. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Jaycee Zimmerman, a junior from Seaman who finished second at the tournament a year ago, claimed the top prize and conference Golfer of the Year honors by improving her score by six strokes.
Zimmerman’s 79 was two strokes better than Topeka West junior Alex Baxter, who finished third last year.
The Vikings placed five golfers in the top seven of the conference tournament. Makenna Stuke, Avery Samuelson and Kaitlynn Frye finished third through fifth, respectively, and Riley Adams finished in seventh place.
Seaman ran away from second place Shawnee Heights by 48 strokes en route to a second league title in as many years in the league.
“This is pretty special,” said Seaman coach Julie McLaughlin. “Last year we had Lois Deeter, a player who is now playing in college and that was pretty exciting. But these girls really stepped up their game this year. I mean, they have had a phenomenal season. I am really proud of the work that they’ve put in. They have come so far in the last two or three seasons. This is well deserved.”
McLaughlin and Shawnee Heights coach Jane Yi were named co-Coaches of the Year for the conference.
Zimmerman, a two-time qualifier for the state tournament, recorded her second victory of the season.
“The three straight birdies that I had on hole 17, 18 and 1 really helped me a lot,” Zimmerman said. “My drives started going really well, and I started hitting putts.
“Taking first at league feels really good because all the schools are here together.”
“She was just right on today,” McLaughlin said of Zimmerman. “I talked to her early on. Her putts just weren’t falling. I said, ‘They’re going to start falling when you get used to the green.’ And they must have. Every time I saw her hit the ball, it was just straight down the middle. She was crushing it all the way around.”
Topeka West junior Alex Baxter shot a personal-best 81 to finish second individually in Tuesday's UKC girls golf tournament. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Baxter shaved 14 strokes off her score from a year ago to finish second.
“This was my PR – my best score ever,” Baxter said. “I was one over on the front nine. I didn’t do as well on the back nine, but I feel like I played pretty well. I feel like my swing was good today and the greens are slow here. I do better on slow greens.”
Karlyn Bowman finished eighth in Tuesday's UKC girls golf tournament, leading Shawnee Heights to a second-place team finish. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Topekans who medaled at the conference meet included Karlyn Bowman and Gracie Langston from Shawnee Heights.
UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
At Village Greens
Team scores
Seaman 338, Shawnee Heights 386, De Soto 386, Piper 422, Basehor-Linwood 429, Turner 462, Leavenworth 463
Individual results
1. Zimmerman, Seaman, 79; 2. Baxter, Topeka West, 81; 3. Stuke, Seaman, 83; 4. Samuelson, Seaman, 86; 5. Frye, Seaman, 90; 6. Kirwan, Piper, 91; 7. Adams, Seaman, 93; 8. Bowman, Shawnee Heights, 84; 9 (tie). Fandre, De Soto, 85; 9 (tie). Langston, Shawnee Heights, 85; 9 (tie). Jernigan, De Soto, 85.
Other Seaman – McLaughlin 105.
Other Shawnee Heights – Bugg 97, Blair 100, Valdivia 103.
Other Topeka West – Kolean 103.
ALL UNITED KANSAS CONFERENCE
First team
Zimmerman, Seaman; Baxter, Topeka West; Stuke, Seaman; Samuelson, Seaman; Frye, Seaman; Kirwan, Piper.
Second team
Adams, Seaman; Bowman, Shawnee Heights; Fandre, De Soto; Langston; Shawnee Heights; Jernigan, De Soto; Berard, De Soto; Bugg, Shawnee Heights.
