by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College’s corps of homegrown golfers threw a scare at the elite of Jayhawk Conference Monday.
Turning in their best performance of the season at Alvamar in Lawrence, the Blue Devils led the first 18 holes of the second Jayhawk Designated Tournament of the spring before settling for second behind Dodge City – but ahead of another perennial conference power, Hutchinson, which won the first Designated Tournament.
Dodge City rallied with a 313-305-618 total followed by KCKCC, 310-319-629 and Hutchinson 316-315-631. Garden City finished fourth at 634 followed by Barton County, 639; Allen County, 675; and Coffeyville, 684.
Freshman Marc McClain of Bonner Springs led the Blue Devils, tying for fourth with a 78-76-154, while Charlie Rinehart of Piper was ninth (76-80-156), Alex Forristal of Olathe East 16th (78-82-160) and Montanta Fasching of Piper (87-76-163) and Seve Sites of SM Northwest (78-85-163) tied for 18th.
“We hit the ball pretty good and got it close, especially the first 18 when we had four of the low nine scores,” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader. “The greens had just been aeriated so putting was difficult all day. The thing I really liked is that we finished second with all Kansas kids, no international players or transfers which says a lot for golf in the state.”
The Blue Devils will renew their Jayhawk Conference rivalry Sunday and Monday when the conference championship will be decided at Sand Creek in Newton.
– Alan Hoskins is the sports information director at KCKCC.