Going into the season, Platte County did not have a player on the roster with state experience. Three now have a chance to make debuts.
Platte County sophomore Naomi Loehner hits a tee shot during the Class 3 District 4 tournament Monday at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill.
Platte County junior Finnley Dougan, sophomore Naomi Loehner and freshman Holland Porschen all made the individual cut in Monday’s Class 3 District 4 tournament at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill. The Pirates finished fourth in the final team standings, missing out on the two automatic berths but still totaled a 413 — third best score of the season.
Dougan, Loehner and Porschen all qualified for this week’s Class 3 MSHSAA Golf Championships, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club in New Bloomfield.
“I’m really glad I qualified this year because last year districts was a really hard day for me. This year was a lot better,” Loehner said. “I’m glad I get to go with some of my teammates so I don’t have to go alone.”
A year ago, Platte County didn’t send a golfer to state for the first time since 2019 after being temporarily bumped up to Class 4. The Pirates then graduated the lone senior and a two-time Class 3 qualifier.
Yet, the return down a step in the postseason left no guarantees.
Loehner ascended to the No. 1 spot in a young and still relatively inexperienced roster. Porschen picked up the sport over the summer and slowly earned her way up the team rankings. Dougan needed to win an intrasquad playoff just to have the opportunity to make the postseason lineup.
Platte County junior Finnley Dougan hits a putt during the Class 3 District 4 tournament Monday at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill.
St. Teresa’s Academy (354) and Kearney (365) took the top two spots in the team standings and automatically qualified their top four players. The fifth individual for both also earned spots, meaning the next 13 lowest-scores also advanced.
Smithville took four of those, and Platte County three more.
“My goal more for this year was just to get through the year because it’s my first year, but I’m glad I got here,” Porschen said.
Despite no pars on the first eight holes, Loehner finished tied for ninth with a 20-over 92. She took up the sport in the summer before her freshman year and quickly became Platte County’s No. 2 player and posted the Pirates’ low score in almost every competition this season.
Loehner rolled in a birdie at No. 2 but didn’t create any early momentum in her round.
“I honestly would’ve rather had the birdie on my back nine just because I feel like it’s never good when I have a birdie on the front nine,” said Loehner, who struggled the previous week in the Suburban Conference White Division Championships at neighboring Country Creek Golf Club. “I feel like I never play well after I have a birdie on the front nine. On hole 12 or 13, all my shots started to feel a lot better.”
Platte County junior Ainsley Habel stands on a tee box during the Class 3 District 4 tournament Monday at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill.
After a quadruple bogey at No. 10, Loehner remained in contention for a state spot and made par on three of the final five holes to easily finish in the top 10.
Dougan and Porschen both started hanging around the cut line late in the round.
Having started at No. 10, Porsche’s key moment came late in the round with a tee shot to about 5 feet on the par 3 eighth that led to a birdie. She posted a 30-over 102 and ended up alone in 18th — a full six shots clear of the eventual cut line.
“I just sunk the putt (on 17),” Porschen said. “On the last hole, I kind of realized I was low enough, and I guess I’m goin’ (to state).”
A third-year varsity contributor, Dougan won the playoff earlier in the week to claim the fifth and final spot in Platte County’s postseason lineup and then shook off season-long inconsistencies at just the right time. She made two pars and ended up as one of the final players on the course.
Platte County senior Lila Sedlacek hits a shot during the Class 3 District 4 tournament Monday at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill.
Dougan’s double bogey on her final hole finished off a round of 106 and put her in 22nd, two shots ahead of the tie for the final individual spots.
“It doesn’t really feel real still. I’m still kind of processing what happened,” Dougan said. “I didn’t even know (state) was possible because I was just having fun and not paying attention to my score.”
Smithville’s four individual qualifiers allows the Warriors to post a team score at state, and Platte County nearly did the same. However, junior Ainsley Habel — the Pirates’ No. 2 and top finisher just over a week earlier at conference, ended up with a 113 that left her in 29th and five shots back of the state cut while playing in extremely windy conditions that affected scores.
Platte County senior Lila Sedlacek shot a 117 and did not factor into the team score in her final tournament.
A year ago, Platte County finished 12th in Class 4 District 4 and didn’t have an individual score lower than 106. Loehner’s 111 was a full 18 shots off the individual cut, while Dougan and Habel also made their postseason debuts.
Now, Platte County sees the season extend another week with three players preparing for another first with varied expectations.
“Go through it hole by hole like I usually do,” Loehner said. “I played pretty OK today, but I could’ve definitely done better. Hopefully, I at least play pretty OK at state, too.”
“I don’t think I can hold my expectations very high because this is my first year even golfing,” Porschen said. “I think I’ve just got to with the flow and whatever happens, happens.”
