Payton Wise State medal winner

Kimball High freshman Payton Wise is a state medal winner! In her first year of High School Golf she is brining home state hardware and she battled all of the elements to achieve this awesome achievement.

After finishing third at the District Tournament in Ogallala where the top ten individuals advanced to state tournament play. Payton and Coach Luke Maas, headed to North Platte this past Sunday to play a practice round on the Rivers Edge Golf Course and got to know, not only the lay out of the course, but also what it was going to be like battling unfavorable weather conditions.

Coach Maas said "It was very cold and wet during her practice round on Sunday, but it was even worse on Monday as the wind really picked up too. Not only the players, but all of us who were out there, were very wet, and cold, and at times we couldn't even feel our hands, it was that bad." Maas went on to say that with the wind and the cold, all of the golfers were scoring at least 10 strokes or more then their usual rounds and Payton's round of 48-46=94 was not that bad at all. The two leaders on Monday were the top two out of Payton's District as Harley Hiltirand of Ogallala and Kenzey Kanno of Mitchell both shot 83 after Hiltibrand had shot a 71 to win the district title.

With a forecast for play on Tuesday for day two of more rain, cold, wind, the state officials decided to go ahead with day-two play, but after Payton's group finished their eighth hole play was stopped and the second round was cancelled. This means that Payton's round of 94 on Monday which had her tied for 12th place would stand in the top 15 individuals were the state medal winners. What an honor for the talented young Kimball High Freshman! On the other hand, her Tuesday, day-two play, was moving her in the right direction and after her eight holes of play she had moved her position, at that point, to where she was probably up to seventh or eighth place, unofficially at the time of this writing at least, and maybe even better, but who knows how it would have all played out. One thing for certain, she was playing really good according to coach Maas.

"I wish that after having the girls, and all of us brave the weather again on Tuesday, that perhaps the officials could have determined to let everyone finish nine holes of play, and then score day-two from that." Maas said. None the less, young Payton Wise finished out a rewarding first year of her high school golf career with a trip to the state tournament were she was a state medal winner. She can now become Kimball High's first ever four year girls state qualifier and first ever four year state medal winner. She tied the Kimball High 18 hole record with the 82 round she shot at the Kimball Invitational and it would appear to be a safe bet she will improve that in the next three years of her young career.

We here at the Observer extend our congratulations on a job well done in some very trying conditions.. You proved to be a warrior! As more results of the state tournament are released we will fill you readers in, in next week's sports.