CHRIS GEINOSKY/The Kearney CourierKearney High freshman Ryan Zech follows through on a shot from the fairway on No. 10 at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield during the second round of the Class 3 state tournament Tuesday, May 13. Zech shot a two-day total of 156 and finished in a tie for 10th place.
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Kearney boys golf team completes march to state title
By Chris Geinosky
SPRINGFIELD — Mother Nature and her wide array of cold, rainy weather has not treated golfers nicely for most of the spring.
But she may have provided the Kearney High boys golf team with the one break it desperately needed Tuesday, May 13, at Rivercut Golf Course. After a shaky start to the second and final day of the Class 3 state tournament, a 20-minute weather delay proved to be the turning point in the Bulldogs’ run to the program’s first state championship.
“I think the weather break helped us, no doubt about it,” said Kearney coach Mike Fallein. “I think it calmed us down. I thought that turned out to be a fortuitous break for us. We were kind of struggling a little bit, and we came in to the clubhouse, sat down and relaxed for a few minutes. And off we went, and all of a sudden, we’re on fire.”
None of the Bulldogs was more on fire than Robert Neumann, who posted an under-par round after the delay and led Kearney’s charge to the title. Neumann went on to place third individually, and was one of three Bulldogs to finish among the top 10 and claim all-state honors.
“Coming here, we thought we might have a chance to win it, but we knew we’d have to play really good golf,” Neumann said. “I was worried early because on the front nine, I wasn’t playing very well. At that rain delay it seemed like none of us were playing very well, but we all pulled it together. For me, I just got hot at the right time.”
And the Bulldogs needed it.
Kearney put up a two-day team score of 628, shooting a 311 in Monday’s first round and a 317 in round two. The Bulldogs finished five strokes ahead of defending state champion Priory (633), and 15 in front of third-place Pembroke Hill (643), a state powerhouse.
“Look at who was chasing us,” Fallein said. “Priory had an outstanding team. Pembroke Hill has a great tradition of golf. I felt like we had to go out and play solid golf today. We needed to have the attitude that we were playing from behind, not ahead.”
Neumann finished with a two-day total of 152, three shots off individual state champ Kevin Bell of Westminster Christian, and only one back of runner-up Luke Orf of Duchesne.
Eric Holm tied for seventh with a 155, and Ryan Zech tied for 10th with a 156.
“It sure feels good already, but I’m sure when I wake up tomorrow morning, it will be a different feeling,” Zech said. “Everyone was talking about how good Priory was and how this was their tournament, and to come out here and shock everyone, it feels really good.
“We tried to stay calm at the weather break. We all had about 10 holes left, and as fast as it went downhill early in the day, we knew we still had time to turn it around.”
Not only is this the golf program’s first team title at the state level, it marks the Bulldogs’ first all-state performance by finishing among the top four. Kearney finished fifth as a team in 2006.
“The kids had high expectations,” Fallein said. “They went into the season with their eyes open. They believed we could be among the best teams in the state, and everything fell into place for us.”
Kearney becomes the first public school to win the Class 3 state crown since 2003, when Excelsior Springs finished on top.
“It’s the perfect ending,” Holm said. “To win the last event in my senior season and have it be state, it’s pretty nice.”
Sports writer Chris Geinosky can be reached at 389-6654 or cgeinosky@npgco.com.
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But she may have provided the Kearney High boys golf team with the one break it desperately needed Tuesday, May 13, at Rivercut Golf Course. After a shaky start to the second and final day of the Class 3 state tournament, a 20-minute weather delay proved to be the turning point in the Bulldogs’ run to the program’s first state championship.
“I think the weather break helped us, no doubt about it,” said Kearney coach Mike Fallein. “I think it calmed us down. I thought that turned out to be a fortuitous break for us. We were kind of struggling a little bit, and we came in to the clubhouse, sat down and relaxed for a few minutes. And off we went, and all of a sudden, we’re on fire.”
None of the Bulldogs was more on fire than Robert Neumann, who posted an under-par round after the delay and led Kearney’s charge to the title. Neumann went on to place third individually, and was one of three Bulldogs to finish among the top 10 and claim all-state honors.
“Coming here, we thought we might have a chance to win it, but we knew we’d have to play really good golf,” Neumann said. “I was worried early because on the front nine, I wasn’t playing very well. At that rain delay it seemed like none of us were playing very well, but we all pulled it together. For me, I just got hot at the right time.”
And the Bulldogs needed it.
Kearney put up a two-day team score of 628, shooting a 311 in Monday’s first round and a 317 in round two. The Bulldogs finished five strokes ahead of defending state champion Priory (633), and 15 in front of third-place Pembroke Hill (643), a state powerhouse.
“Look at who was chasing us,” Fallein said. “Priory had an outstanding team. Pembroke Hill has a great tradition of golf. I felt like we had to go out and play solid golf today. We needed to have the attitude that we were playing from behind, not ahead.”
Neumann finished with a two-day total of 152, three shots off individual state champ Kevin Bell of Westminster Christian, and only one back of runner-up Luke Orf of Duchesne.
Eric Holm tied for seventh with a 155, and Ryan Zech tied for 10th with a 156.
“It sure feels good already, but I’m sure when I wake up tomorrow morning, it will be a different feeling,” Zech said. “Everyone was talking about how good Priory was and how this was their tournament, and to come out here and shock everyone, it feels really good.
“We tried to stay calm at the weather break. We all had about 10 holes left, and as fast as it went downhill early in the day, we knew we still had time to turn it around.”
Not only is this the golf program’s first team title at the state level, it marks the Bulldogs’ first all-state performance by finishing among the top four. Kearney finished fifth as a team in 2006.
“The kids had high expectations,” Fallein said. “They went into the season with their eyes open. They believed we could be among the best teams in the state, and everything fell into place for us.”
Kearney becomes the first public school to win the Class 3 state crown since 2003, when Excelsior Springs finished on top.
“It’s the perfect ending,” Holm said. “To win the last event in my senior season and have it be state, it’s pretty nice.”
Sports writer Chris Geinosky can be reached at 389-6654 or cgeinosky@npgco.com.