The mountain was too steep for the Barton Community College women's golf team to climb Monday as the Lady Cougars had to settle for second place at the Barton StoneRidge #4 Invitational at StoneRidge Golf Club in Great Bend. Trailing by twenty-two strokes after Sunday's eighteen holes, the Lady Cougars played much better on day two but so did eventual champion Dodge City Community College. Despite howling winds in the two-day event, the Lady Conquistadors scored a 188 on the last nine to widen the margin as Barton came in at 188. Colby Community College, forced to play without their No. 1 golfer due to illness, started the day eight strokes behind the Lady Cougars but carded a 229 to fall forty-nine strokes back. Dodge City finished the twenty-seven hole conference tournament at 549 while Barton scored a 579 with Colby finishing third at 628.
Kaylee Crawford was the big story for the Barton women's team as the sophomore held off the pack to win the conference meet. Having placed as high as third in previous tournaments throughout her two years at Barton, the Henryetta, Oklahoma, native led by one stroke heading into the final nine holes Monday closing with a 43 to earn her first collegiate victory scoring a total of 130. Dodge City's Jodi Saito, who trailed Crawford by one after Sunday, also fired a 43 to fall one stroke short at 131. Barton's Natthakan Teeratrakul posted the fourth best nine-hole score of 44 to finish in third place at 134 while Monday's low score honors went to Coffeyville's Sydney Guinn whose 42 vaulted her from seventh to fourth place with a 135.
Two other Barton golfers finished in the top ten led by Maddie Sherman's seventh place finish of 144. The sophomore from Andover jumped into the top ten with the fifth best final nine score of 45 while Staisha Miller placed eighth with a 145 after closing the tournament with a 51. Abbie Thelen carded a 149 with teammates Blakelee Cooper and Kara Koepplin finished at 153 and 154 respectively. Joining Crawford and Miller as individual entries into the meet, Madison Walden finished with a 150.
The Lady Cougars, who won the first conference meet of the season, still have hopes of a tying Dodge City for the conference crown but will need to win the remaining two conference meets. The next opportunity for Barton will come April 13 at Emporia's Municipal Golf Course.
Team Standings (Final):
Dodge City CC – 549
Barton CC - 579
Colby CC - 628
Individual Standings (Final – 27 Holes):
1. Kaylee Crawford (Barton) – 87 43 130
2. Jodi Saito (Dodge) – 88 43 131
3. Natthakan Teeratrakul – 90 44 134
T-4. Gabriela Clemence (Dodge) – 91 44 135
Sydney Guinn (Coffeyville) – 93 42 135
6. Annie Sheridan (Dodge) – 92 45 137
7. Maddie Sherman (Barton) – 99 45 144
8. Staisha Miller (Barton) – 94 51 145
T-9. Lina Baquero (Dodge) – 98 48 146
Marissa Bland (Colby) – 92 54 146