Lady Eagles battle brutal winds to finish third at Regional
October 23, 2025
The Colby Lady Eagles golf team showed toughness and composure under harsh conditions at the Kansas State High School Activities Association Region tournament on Monday, October 13, at Sugar Hills Golf Club in Goodland. Fighting through relentless winds and one of the region’s most demanding courses, the Lady Eagles rebounded after a tough opening nine holes to finish third as a team with a score of 438, earning their spot at the upcoming state tournament.
Goodland won the conference championship with a dominant team total of 377, while Syracuse claimed runner-up honors with 435. Colby followed in third at 438, just three strokes behind Syracuse, while Cimarron placed fourth at 458 and Wichita County rounded out the top five with 462. Eleven schools competed in the meet, with players contending not only with distance and elevation changes but also gusts that made every shot a test of control and patience.
Head coach Rick Williams said the key to the Eagles’ strong finish was their ability to regroup and focus on improvement after the turn.
“It was brutal out there for sure,” Williams said. “We punched our ticket to state by regrouping after nine. We shot 13 strokes better on the back nine than we did on the front. We just said, ‘It’s a nine-hole tournament now. Forget about the front and go shoot the best nine you can.’”
Colby was led by senior Braelyn Stupka, who posted a 100 to finish fourth overall and earn a league medal. Teammate Cora DeGood followed close behind, tying for eighth place with a 102. Supporting the scoring lineup, Alayna Hrnicek shot a 115, and Lakyn Sims added a 121 to round out the team total. Landrie McKee contributed a 130, and Stella Kauffman finished at 138 as the Eagles’ sixth golfer.
The top three individual finishers in the field all came from Goodland, with regional champion Allison Cure leading the way with an 85. Tori Jones followed in second place with a 92, and Natalie Cure completed the Cowgirl sweep with a 96. Stupka’s fourth-place finish was the best among non-Goodland golfers and helped solidify Colby’s position as one of the top three teams in the region.
Williams said he was proud of how far his athletes have developed in a short time, crediting their commitment and work ethic for the team’s success.
“Crazy fact,” Williams said. “Our two regional medalists had never even touched a golf club three years ago. That tells you how far this program has come.”
With their third-place team finish, the Lady Eagles advance to the state tournament, confident that their ability to overcome tough conditions will serve them well against the best in Class 3-2-1A competition.