Park Hill South finished third in the final Class 2 District 8 standings and just missed a sectional team berth more than once.
Liberty North (365) and Liberty (370) took the top spots Monday, Sept. 25 at Cardinal Hill Golf Course in Liberty, Mo. and advanced on to Class 2 Sectional 4 play next week. Park Hill South shot a 379 and had three individuals — Sadie Franklin, Kate Eischens and Maddie Hill — make the individual cut, but Annie McFee finished just one shot out of the tie for the final spots for players not on the qualifying teams.
Park Hill South could have competed as a team in Sectional 4 with four individual qualifiers.
Park Hill senior Kelbey Emerson picked the right time for her best round of the year, placing second with a 10-over, while Platte County’s junior duo of Jessalyn Shipp (fourth) and Kasydie Shipp (10th) were also medal winners. The top 15 players plus ties not from the qualifying teams also move on to Sectional 4, scheduled for Monday, Oct. 2 on the Posse Course at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, Mo.
Only the top 12 individuals plus ties not from qualifying teams advance on to state.
A senior, Emerson will seek her first state berth after her runner-up showing to lead Park Hill, which finished a disappointing seventh out of eight teams. She reached Sectional 4 play as a junior, as well, but missed the state cut by six strokes.
Park Hill’s Tessa Poolman shot 31-over and missed the individual cut by two strokes, finishing 25th.
Platte County will have two sectional qualifiers for a third straight year. The Shipp twins have advanced out of districts together three straight years but will be seeking to reach state in the same year for the first time.
Jessalyn Shipp (12-over on Monday) made her state debut in 2015 as a freshman, while Kasydie Shipp (18-over on Monday) reached state as a sophomore. The duo has helped Platte County earn back-to-back Suburban Conference Blue Division titles, and the Pirates were just off their season-best at districts, posting a 401 to finish fifth.
Coming in off a Suburban Conference Red Division title, Park Hill South couldn’t quite keep up with league rivals Liberty and Liberty North this time.
Franklin — the only returner from the Panthers’ top five a year ago — led the way with a 13-over to finish alone in fifth. She will be seeking a second straight state berth, while Eischens and Hill will be first time sectional participants.
Eischens finished in a tie for 13th at 21-over, while Hill tied for 19th at 27-over.
Park Hill South 187, St. Joseph Central 205
Franklin earned medalist honors with an even-par 38 on Thursday, Sept. 21 at Moila Country Club in St. Joseph, Mo.
Park Hill South struggled behind its No. 1 player but still closed the regular season with an 18-stroke victory. Eischens and Olivia Seibert followed Franklin with matching 49s, and Taylor Evans rounded out the team score with a 51 from the No. 5 spot.