Lady Eagles Golfers Open Season with First-Place Finish in Hugoton Tournament
by Derek White
September 4, 2025
The Colby High School Lady Eagles opened their 2025 golf season in winning fashion on Thursday, September 4, as they captured the team title at the Hugoton Invitational, held at Point Rock Golf Course in Elkhart due to ongoing irrigation work at Hugoton’s home course.
Colby posted a team score of 416, edging out Wichita County (425) and Lakin (429) to claim the top spot. Ulysses (492) and Holcomb (498) rounded out the team standings.
Leading the way was senior Braelyn Stupka, who earned medalist honors with a tournament-best round of 92 (+20). Her steady play set the tone for the Eagles and established her as the golfer to watch in the weeks ahead.
Head coach Rick Williams praised his standout, saying, “Braelyn is playing well, and we will go as she goes. We need her to be our rock all year. It’s a lot of pressure, but I trust her to handle it well. She is a tough girl and a fierce competitor!”
Behind Stupka, Colby showed encouraging depth. Lakyn Sims carded a 106 to finish ninth overall, while Alayna Hrnicek posted a 108 for 11th place. Cora DeGood added a 110 to tie for 12th, securing the four scores that made up Colby’s winning team total.
Adding further contributions, Landrie McKee and Stella Kauffman each shot 118, tying for 18th place and showing the kind of balance Coach Williams hopes will continue to develop as the season unfolds.
Williams emphasized the youth and growth potential of the roster. “We only have two returners with any varsity experience, so we are going to grow all season,” he said. “We played better as a team than I thought we would this early in the year. Goodland wasn’t there so that made it winnable. Goodland is loaded and should run away with the state title. But our team besting Lakin, who has two returning state qualifiers, is a solid day.”
With one tournament in the books and a championship already under their belt, the Lady Eagles are looking to build confidence and consistency. As the fall schedule continues, Colby will lean on Stupka’s leadership while giving its younger players valuable varsity experience.
For now, the message is clear — the Lady Eagles have begun their season with momentum, and they intend to keep climbing, next they will be at the Goodland on September 8 to see what the best team in the division looks like at home.