Following a Class C state title in 2024, the Wayne High upperclassmen gave it their all and captured the final qualifying spot during the Class C-3 District Golf Championships held at the Wayne Country Club.
Oct. 7 marked the fifth home competition of the season for the Blue Devil girls golf team.
Wayne High captured third with a 402 and will join District champion West Holt (365) and District runner-up Battle Creek (394) at the NSAA Class C Girls State Golf Championships.
This marks the fourth straight year, Wayne High has qualified their team for state.
Laurel-Concord-Coleridge finished sixth with a 440 among the 12 teams in scoring.
Through nine holes, West Holt held a commanding lead shooting a 179.
Head Wayne High girls golf coach Josh Johnson said, "battling for the next two qualifying spots were Wayne (192), Battle Creek (198), LCC (205) and Pierce (210). The Wayne girls were led on the front by great play by Hallie Heithold (46), Rylynn Owen (47), Carli Canham (48) and a new personal nine hole best 51 by Claire Reinke. The fifth score for Wayne was freshman Avery Gubbels (74)."
Coach Johnson added, "heading to the last nine holes it would come down to the most consistent and steady teams and golfers to earn those final spots."
All five Wayne High varsity golfers have qualified for state and were led by seniors Carli Canham and Hallie Heithold each with a 93 who earned a sixth and seventh place medal respectively.
Coach Johnson mentioned, "I am so happy for this team. These girls have all worked so hard this season, year and past four years to earn this trip to North Platte. Now we get to go down and see what happens on a course that we have had success on. We are looking forward to another couple of fun days at Lake Maloney."
Other Blue Devil results came from senior Rylynn Owen (103), senior Claire Reinke (113) and freshman Avery Gubbels (162). Alternates also traveling for Wayne will be freshmen Damaris Reyes Esparza and Gracyn Johnson.
LCC was led by sophomore Alyza Leonard with a 107 and senior Holly Patefield shot a 109.
Other results from the Bears were posted by junior Harper Bruning (110), senior Danica Gould (114) and senior Kenedy Hall (137).
Junior Grace Ankeny from Tri County Northeast finished 26th with a 108.
Junior Daleni Knust was crowned individual champion with an 80 among the 64 golfers.
Junior Lacey Kuchar from Battle Creek took the final 10th spot with a 97.
The 2025 NSAA Girls State Golf Championships will get underway on both Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 13-14. Class C will compete at Lake Maloney Golf Club in North Platte.
