Hett nearly repeats as state champ; team ties for third
Sports reporter
On a day where the wind had golf balls floating around like feathers, Marion High School senior Travis Hett nearly repeated as 3A state golf champion.
His chip shot on 18 that landed within a foot of the hole, gave the senior a 75, and the lead heading into the clubhouse.
As he watched officials write the scores of golfer after golfer, none lower than 75, the tension started to mount.
"It's nerve wracking," Hett said. "Someone could easily tear this course up."
Unfortunately for Hett, word spread that Wichita Trinity's Michael Allen was doing just that. With three holes left, Allen was even, putting him on par for a 72.
When Allen sank a one-foot putt on 18 to claim the championship with that exact score, Hett wasn't hanging his head.
Make no mistake, he badly wanted to become a back-to-back state champion. But his nature is to not let anything he can't change bother him.
"That was a heck of round," Hett said of Allen. "It doesn't bother me any, I was happy with the way I played."
No crying. No what-ifs. Only, good job to the competition.
Head coach Rex Ostmeyer said that is a testament to Travis' attitude. He respected a game where players don't try to beat someone else, as much as play the best they can.
"He played a very good round in unbelievably difficult conditions," Ostmeyer said, "and he gave himself a chance."
Although Hett knew he played a great round, his drive into the water on 13 had to irk him a little bit, but maybe even more so had he lost by only one stroke.
"I had one bad hole," Hett said. "But I bounced back."
Literally.
His up-and-down chip shot on 18 landed on the fringe and bounced twice before nearly rolling in the cup. At the time he didn't know it, but that shot secured second place.
"I knew I had to land it just right," Hett said.
He not only did just that, but he may have landed a spot as the top golfer ever at MHS.
The senior is the only individual state champion after his victory last season. He then followed that up with a second-place this year, and preceded it with an appearance his sophomore year.
"I think he should be considered the best player to every play at this school," Ostmeyer said. "At least he accomplished the most."
Team
While Hett led the pack, he had some help from his teammates to secure a tie for third place.
Sophomore Luke Gordon stepped up with a 79 and took eighth after winning a playoff, Keith Jones came in at 86, and Jake Bredemeier, 88.
Their four-team score of 328 was tied with Sabetha and Hillsboro.
Marion's fifth golfer, Chase Carlson, was the tie-breaker for team scores. His round of 92 didn't beat Sabetha's fifth golfer, but was enough to finish ahead of Hillsboro's.
Freshman Lindsay Hett was Marion's sixth and final golfer, and played probably her best round of the season.
After shooting a 50 on the front nine, she came in at 49 on the back. With the round of 99, she accomplished both of her goals - breaking 100 and defeating the other three in her group.
Officially it was a fourth-place finish for Ostmeyer and the Warriors, 10 strokes behind champion Wichita Collegiate.
"We knew if we had a decent day we'd be right in the mix," Ostmeyer said, "and it played out that way."
Allen's Wichita Trinity team was just one stroke ahead of MHS for second, separating second and fifth by just one shot.
It was tough on some of the players to come so close, but Ostmeyer knew they couldn't let one shot affect them. A bounce here or a bounce there for either team could have changed the outcome dramatically.
"We accomplished a lot taking our team to state," Ostmeyer said.
In Ostmeyer's second year, the team did exactly what he has been saying it could do from the first day he took the job.
He knew the talent was there, but they had to execute. It was a moment and a season the team will never forget.
"It was just great to have the opportunity to play here," Jones said. "I just came out and said 'What the heck,' and tried to have fun."
results (top five teams)
Teams: 1. Wichita Collegiate 318. 2. Wichita-Trinity 327. 3. Sabetha 328. 4. Marion 328. 5. Hillsboro 328.
Individual: 1. Travis Hett 75. 2. Luke Gordon 79. 3. Keith Jones 86. 4. Jake Bredemeier 88. 5. Chase Carlson 92. 6. Lindsay Hett 99.
