SMITHVILLE — Leah McFee will have one more chance to vanquish some bad memories at sectional golf.

The Park Hill South senior fired a 94 during the Class 2 District 8 meet on Monday, Oct. 7 on the Posse course at Paradise Pointe.

That was good enough for sixth place in the field and punches her a ticket to the Class 2 Sectional 4 meet on Monday, Oct. 14 at WinterStone Golf Course in Independence.

CODY THORN/Citizen photo
Park Hill South’s Taylor Evans watches her shot on Monday, Oct. 7 at the Class 2 District 8 tournament on Smithville.

McFee has made it to the penultimate stop in the state postseason the past three falls and each time she was one shot away from a trip to state.

This is her final time.

“Hopefully I will get to go to state this year,” she said of the hopes of going into the meet at a course she hasn’t played yet. “Being my senior year I will do my best to kick some behind.”

McFee chatted with Panthers coach Tracy Mangels as soon as the medals were handed out about getting a tee time on the course.

She played on the Posse course on Sunday in preparation for the district meet and shot an 84 – which would’ve been good enough for first place. She struggled a bit with a 49 on her opening nine, but closed with a 45. She had the lowest score for Park Hill South, which had two other sectional qualifiers.

That is the most of the three area teams, with Platte County taking two and Park Hill will have one.

Joining McFee will be Abby Ervin and Chloe Bowman.

Ervin, a sophomore, is now a two-time sectional qualifier after shooting 101. She started on the back nine and shot 53, but closed with a 48 to punch her ticket.

Bowman had the distinction of being the final qualifier to make the trip to sectionals, shooting 113.

“It was kind of scary, I didn’t think I would get in at all,” said the junior, a first-time state qualifier.

Park Hill South finished third in the meet behind district champion Liberty and runner-up Liberty North. The top teams advanced to sectionals, but last year the Panthers had four qualifiers and took seventh.

Platte County’s Eden Shipp shot 91 and finished third in the standings and will return to sectionals.

The sophomore was one of three qualifiers last year for the Pirates with sisters Kasydie and Jessalyn, both now playing in college.

Eden shot 107 at sectionals last year, nine shots off a final qualifying spot for state.

She shot 44 on the back nine to close with a 91 on Monday, while Bailey Silcott shot 99 to earn a spot at sectionals as well for the Pirates.

“It is different, it is a lot more responsibility,” said Shipp of being the leader this year. “There is a lot of showing them what to do and improving my game at the same time. Going back to sectionals will give me a chance to redo last year, which I’m happy about. It means I can still do. I still have the potential and ability, I just need to focus. I have played (WinterStone) in outside tournaments and it’s not a bad course. It is very nice and I normally do fairly well and I hope I do next week.”

Platte County shot 429 and finished fourth overall.

“Going off what we have had in the last couple of years, having only one play with experience and taking four brand new golfers to play in competitive golf, I was pleased with the scores,” said Platte County coach Trevor Short. “This was not your normal district scoring.”

Park Hill had one sectional qualifier in Ishika Akula, who shot 105 and earned a return trip to sectionals. Last year, she shot 111 and tied for 44th.