by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
The National Junior College Athletic Association did Kansas City Kansas Community College’s No. 10 ranked golf team absolutely no favors when it drew up a new format for the district golf championships this spring.
The top two ranked teams in the nation, No. 1 Tyler (Texas) and No. 2 Murray State (Okla.), were moved to the Region VI District played at Auburn Hills in Wichita Monday and Tuesday.
A perennial national power, Tyler had four of the top five finishers in finishing first at 867 with Murray State second at 892. KCKCC, which finished fifth a year ago, had to settle for third at 923 followed by Seminole State, 982; Coffeyville, 983; Allen County, 1000; and Independence, 1027.
While KCKCC as a team did not qualify for this year’s national tournament to be played at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz., two Blue Devils will compete individually in the national. Sophomore Evan Shartzer of Blue Valley North tied for sixth with a 76-73-76-225 and freshman Bobby Armstrong of Wichita tied for eighth at 78-75-74-227.
“It was kind of sad,” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader. “The kids had a good season, one of our best conference seasons and we were the best Division II team in Region VI. We tried our best and within our region we were pretty good including No. 10 in the national rankings. The kids were disappointed not being to go to national as a team but excited for the two who are going.”
Shrader said no coaches were consulted when an NJCAA committee realigned district pairings.
“The idea was of getting more teams and individuals into the national tournament but it hurt us more than it helped,” he said. “Nobody told us we’d be getting teams out of the Sun Belt that were months ahead of us in playing time. The Tyler coach said he didn’t want to drive 650 miles to Wichita while other teams from his region were playing in Mississippi.”
While KCKCC had two players in the Top 10 in medalist competition, three others finished in the Top 20. Nick Wagner of Wichita Maize tied for 14th (78-83-75-236); Micah Morris of Guthrie, Okla., tied for 16th (86-76-78-241; and Jeremy Dunham Derby finished 19th (88-79-77-244). Wagner and Morris are both freshmen.
“Were we competing just against Region VI teams, Shartzer and Armstrong would have been No. 1 and No. 2 with Wagner fourth and Morris fifth,” Shrader said.
Marco Maldonado of Tyler was medalist, finished 3-under par with a 213 which was two shots better than Oliver White and four in front of Garrett White, his teammates.