Varsity golf raises first State trophy and banner as a team; breaks school record | by KYLIE HORNBECK

Making STA history, the golf team placed fourth in Class 2 at the State tournament Oct. 20 in Springfield.  The Stars edged out fifth place Columbia Rock Bridge High School by two strokes, which resulted in the first ever STA golf top four finish at State and STA’s first ever golf banner.

‘We were all standing by the board with scores watching the team scores to find out the results,’ senior golfer Nina Salazar said.  ‘I think our coach kind of knew [that we were in fourth place] before everyone else, and she started tearing up.  When we knew for sure, it was just unbelievable.  I still can’t really grasp the idea of it, and I don’t think I really will until I see my name on the banner.  It was really surreal.’

Head coach Teresa Borchert credits the team’s success to the individual efforts of the five golfers who competed.  These golfers included seniors Casey O’Flaherty and Salazar, juniors Madalyne Bird and Colleen Corcoran and sophomore Alexis Buford.

‘Getting fourth was our goal,’ O’Flaherty said.  ‘Our coach this year was really positive, and it started to rub off and we started to believe we could do it.  And we did.’

O’Flaherty led the team, tying for second place overall out of 121 girls and receiving All-State honors.  At second place, she was 15 strokes short of Lee’s Summit North High School’s champion Christopher McCall, who swept the competition.  As for STA’s other golfers, Bird tied for 31st place, Salazar tied for 40th place, Corcoran tied for 60th place and Buford placed 80th.

‘I had no idea I would get second,’ O’Flaherty said.  ‘I just thought I would be hanging on to the top 10.  And really, it was by one stroke that I didn’t get fifth.  One day you could play your worst and the next day you could hit the best run of your life.’

After placing 22nd at State last year, O’Flaherty is still in shock about her 20-spot jump.  Although she knew she had a chance of doing well, O’Flaherty was most focused on helping out her team.

‘If someone had told me at the beginning of the year that I would place second at State [and the team would place fourth], I would have laughed and been like, ‘ËœNice try.  I doubt it,” O’Flaherty said.  ‘Even now, I just really can’t believe it.’

The team celebrated their fourth place victory with hugs, high fives and smiles all around, O’Flaherty and Salazar remember.

‘How we finished is exactly how I hoped we would [as a team],’ Borchert said.  ‘And Casey [O’Flaherty] having a great finish was my goal for her individually.  It was a very exciting finish and a great way to finish my first year [as head coach].’

And as for next season?

‘I think it’s going to be a little hard to beat this year,’ Borchert said.