By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Shawnee Heights senior Alex Valdivia and Topeka West junior Myles Alonzo are used to battling it out on the golf course, and Tuesday's Class 5A state tournament at McPherson was no exception.
Valdivia and Alonzo finished the state tournament with identical 36-hole scores of 143, tying for 12th place to earn state medals at the Turkey Creek Golf Course.
Valdivia carded a 70 Tuesday after an opening-round 73 while Alonzo followed his first-round 71 with a 72.
Bulldawgs finish fifth in 3A
Rossville posted a fifth-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament at Dodge City's Mariah Hills, carding a four-man two-day score of 671.
Sophomore Jonathan Hart finished fifth individually to lead the Bulldawgs, shooting a 71 on Tuesday after a first-round 79 to finish at 150.
Hart was followed by freshman Jack Donovan, who tied for 16th place with a 157 (80-77), while senior Kyser Lundin finished at 181 (88-93), freshman Paxton Willett at 183 (90-93), senior Manuel VanderPutten at 201 (102-99) and senior Aiden Baumchen at 216 (102-114)
Silver Lake junior Bryce Badsky earned his third 3A state medal, tying Donovan for 16th place at 157 (79-78).
Santa Fe Trail junior Lane Workman won the 3A state title by four strokes, posting a 36-hole total of 142 (72-70).
Hayden places fifth in 4A team race
Hayden finished with a two-day team total of 687 to finish fifth as a team Tuesday in the Class 4A state tournament at Quail Creek Golf Course in Winfield.
Sophomore Tagen Rodriguez led Hayden with a 36-hole score of 166 to lead the Wildcats, finishing just one stroke away from earning a state medal.
Rodriguez, who tied for 21st place, shot an 84 Tuesday after opening with an 82 on Monday.
Sophomore James Kuta followed Rodrigue with a 169 (84-85), senior Noah Haverkamp with a 175 (90-85), sophomore Nick Gorman with a 178 (90-88), senior Garrett Borjon with a 186 (88-97) and sophomore Colin Scott with a 188 (98-90).
Tyrell ties for 31st place in 6A to pace Rural
Senior Bryan Tyrell followed his first-round 78 with a 74 on Tuesday to tie for 31st place (152) in the Class 6A state tournament at Newton's Sand Creek Station.
Rural junior Hayden Glynn shot finished at 162, shooting an 85 on Tuesday after a first-round 77.
Cair Paravel's Pavlik, Helmbold finish 2A state bids
Sophomore Jase Pavlik finished at 171 and Helmbold at 173 for Cair Paravel in the Class 2A state tournament at Hesston Golf Course.
Pavlik shot an 84 on Tuesday after a first-round 87 while Helmbold shot an 89 on Tuesday after a first-round 84.