By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural's 2015 Class 6A state championship team, one of 15 Shawnee County state winners, was picked for the No. 1 spot on the TopSports.news Best of the Best Top 10 for boys golf.
Washburn Rural's 2015 boys golf team won the Class 6A state championship on a tiebreaker to finish off an undefeated season. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Jared Goehring's Junior Blues won the 6A state title on a tiebreaker over Blue Valley North, which tied at 296, with a lower fifth score, capping an undefeated season.
Washburn Rural put three players in the top eight places individually, led by fifth-place Lukas McCalla (73).
Parker Beal posted a seventh-place individual finish (73) and Ryan Clatterbuck finished eighth (74) while Andrew Beckler tied for 13th place (76).
Hayden's Brandon Falley and Brian Walker placed one-two individually to lead the Wildcats to the 2008 Class 4A state title. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Washburn Rural earned the 2009 Class 6A state boys golf title by a single stroke. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Hayden's 2008 4A championship team was tapped for the No. 2 position on the Best of the Best list while Washburn Rural's '09 6A title team earned the No. 3 spot.
Denis Stanley's Wildcats won the Class 4A state crown by seven strokes over Andover (294-301) as Brandon Falley (69) and Brian Walker (73) finished one-two individually. Kurt Walker added a 10th-place finish for Hayden.
Jeff Stromgren's Junior Blues garnered the 6A state championship by a stroke (304-305) over Blue Valley North, with Brax Ball (72) and Trey Steigel (73) finishing second and fourth individually for Rural.
Individual state champ Justice Valdivia led Hayden to an 11-stroke victory in the 2011 Class 4A state golf tournament. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Individual state champion John Newcomer led Hayden to the 2001 Class 4A state golf title. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Hayden's '11 and '01 championship teams, led by individual state champs Justice Valdivia and John Newcomer, round out the top five on the Top 10.
Hayden's '14 state title team is listed No. 6, followed by Washburn Rural's '97 team, Topeka High's '49 and '61 state winners and Rural's 6A runnerup team from '16.
Washburn Rural's '15 team also earned the No. 1 spot in Reader's Choice balloting, followed by Rural's '97 team and Hayden's '11 squad..
Here's a look at the Top 10 and Reader's Choice Awards:
TSN TOP 10 BEST OF THE BEST BOYS GOLF TEAMS
1. Washburn Rural (2015) -- Jared Goehring's Junior Blues won the Class 6A state championship on a tiebreaker over Blue Valley North (296-296), capping an undefeated season. Washburn Rural put three players in the top eight places individually, led by fifth-place Lukas McCalla (73). Parker Beal posted a seventh-place individual finish (73) and Ryan Clatterbuck finished eighth (74).
2. Hayden (2008) -- Denis Stanley's Wildcats won the Class 4A state crown by seven strokes over Andover (294-301) as Brandon Falley (69) and Brian Walker (73) finished one-two individually. Kurt Walker added a 10th-place finish for Hayden.
3. Washburn Rural (2009) -- Jeff Stromgren's Junior Blues garnered the Class 6A state championship by a stroke (304-305) over Blue Valley North, with Brax Ball (72) and Trey Steigel (73) finishing second and fourth individually to lead the way.
4. Hayden (2011) -- Justice Valdivia carded a 68 to win the individual title by four strokes as Dan Key's Wildcats won the Class 4A team championship by an 11-stroke margin (321-332) over Tonganoxie.
5. Hayden (2001) -- Chris Shanks' Wildcats won the first of Hayden's four Class 4A state championships with a three-stroke win over Wellington as John Newcomer shot a 76 to win the individual title. Scott Wempe placed sixth (79).
6. Hayden (2014) -- Jim Roy's Hayden team won the Class 4A state title by a 15-stroke margin over Buhler (314-329). The '14 Wildcats won the fourth and most recent of the school's four state championships.
7. Washburn Rural (1997) -- Don Williams' Junior Blues won Washburn Rural's first boys state title in a tiebreaker over Shawnee Mission Northwest (325-325). Brad Glinka (tie 13th) and Andy Payne (tie 17th) were both state placers.
8. Topeka High (1949) -- The Trojans won the four-man grass greens title by a 10-stroke margin over Wichita North as Dale Higgs won the individual title with a 36-hole score of 150.
9. Topeka High (1961) -- Topeka High captured its eighth (two-man and four-man combined) and most recent state championship by a 26-stroke margin over Arkansas City, carding a 36-hole team score of 622. Bay Chaltos finished third to pace the Trojans.
10. Washburn Rural (2016) -- Parker Beal shot a 68 at Manhattan Country Club to win the Class 6A individual title as Washburn Rural carded a team score of 295 to finish second at a team. Lukas McCalla finished seventh and Jack Hillman 18th.
READER'S CHOICE BOYS GOLF AWARDS
1. Washburn Rural (2015) -- No. 1 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
2. Washburn Rural (1997) -- No. 7 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
3. Hayden (2011) -- No. 4 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
4. (tie) Hayden (2001) -- No. 5 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
4. (tie) Washburn Rural (2009) -- No. 3 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
6. Hayden (2008) -- No. 2 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
7. (tie) Hayden (2014) -- No. 6 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
7. (tie) Shawnee Heights (2002) -- Finished third in Class 5A as Cole Harper finished second individually with a 74 and 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland placed 10th.
7. (tie) Topeka High (1934) -- The Trojans won the two-man state title by a 302-304 margin over Wichita East. Jack Wylie finished second and Jack Colvin fifth in the 36-hole tounament.
7. (tie) Topeka High (1949) -- No. 8 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
7. (tie) Topeka High (1961) -- No. 9 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
Next up: Girls soccer Best of the Best Top 10 teams and Reader's Choice awards.
