PARKVILLE, Mo. — One metro girls golf team is making life on the links look easy.
The girls at Park Hill South High School are working toward their biggest year ever after a sizzling state tournament run last year.
The Panther golf team can usually be found on the practice range at The Bluffs Golf Club in Parkville. Panther potential is sky high in 2024. PHS seeks its fourth consecutive district championship, and last year’s ninth place finish as a team in the MSHSAA Class Four State Tournament is the school’s best in recent years.
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“Our goal is never to peak in early September. We always want to try to figure it out,” Tracy Mangels, Park Hill South’s head coach, said.
Mangels likes his team’s drive to thrive, and in their four tournaments this season, they’ve come up with two top-three finishes, a sign the club is good and getting better, too.
“We have enough talent that we could bring home a trophy. That would be a top four. Golf is very hard. You have to go there and execute,” Magels said.
Two strong seniors lead the way. Makenna Casey finished seventh as an individual in last year’s state tournament. Brynlee Justice is also a senior, and is known for her consistent play and positive leadership.
“We just want to beat each other. Even though we’re teammates, we all want to do the best we possibly can, both individually and as a team,” Casey said.
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“In order to be good at golf, you have to put in the work, and if you slack off, you won’t get better. You could get worse,” Justice explained.
It seems everyone wants a piece of this action, too. Coach Mangels says Park Hill South had 33 girls try out for golf this year. He was able to keep 19, which is still a large roster. He and others believe this community can sense how close this team is to doing something extra special.
Park Hill South’s golfers have circled October 21st on their calendars. That’s round one of the Missouri Class Four State Tournament in Cape Girardeau.
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