Defending champion Eden Larson takes Day 1 lead at Class A state girls golf tournament
Eden Larson is in position.
The Lincoln Southwest junior and defending Class A individual champion fired a 74 Monday to take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Class A state tournament at Riverside Golf Club in Grand Island.
Larson was steady in challenging conditions, with one birdie, one bogey, one double bogey and 15 pars.
She will tee off in Tuesday's penultimate group with Omaha Westside's Chloe DiPrima, who trails Larson by two shots. Omaha Marian's Madison Murnan, another individual contender, is in that group as well after shooting 78.
Last year, Larson rallied from a seven-stroke deficit to win. This year, she'll try to protect a lead against six players who are within five shots of first place.
Lincoln East's Isabella Elgert, who finished second to Larson last year after a playoff, is in the chase group at four shots back in a tie for fourth after a 78. Another Spartan, Addison Shirk, is eighth after an 80.
In the team race, Lincoln Southwest stayed within striking distance of heavy pre-meet favorite Omaha Marian after shooting 330.
The Silver Hawks, with four state titles in the last six seasons and a second-place finish in 2023, trailed Marian by five shots after Round 1. Paytyn Renter added an 82 for LSW, while Yve Nelson shot 86 and Maddilynn Wilson shot 88.
Omaha Westside was third after a 336, while defending champion Lincoln East was fourth after a 337.
Lincoln Southeast finished Day 1 in eighth place after a 386. The Knights were led by Morgan and Mattie Goettsch, who each shot 92.
Monday's round was delayed 90 minutes by frost.
Class B
Norris junior Natalie Shield was tied for first place after the first round of the Class B state tournament in Gering.
Shield shot 81 to finish the day tied with Elkhorn North's Reese Gloystein at the top of the leaderboard. Omaha Duchesne's Whitney Dahir was third after an 83, while, Lincoln Pius X's Hannah Swanson was tied for fourth after an 83.
Shield and Swanson were part of a tightly-packed top of the leaderboard. Seven players ended the first round within three shots of the lead.
Elkhorn North took the Day 1 lead in the team race after shooting 348. Two-time defending champion Omaha Duchesne was second with a 355.
Norris sat in third after a 367, while Pius X was fourth after a 371.
Lincoln Northwest junior Rylee Zimmerman was tied for 34th after a first-round 96.
Class C
Season-long favorite Minden took a six-shot lead after the first round of the Class C state tournament in North Platte.
The Whippets shot 346 and had the top two individuals in the opening round, as Kara Suchsland and KayLynn Jorgensen each shot 77. Those two hold a one-shot lead over Wayne's Carli Canham.
Wayne was second in the team race after a 352. Sutton and West Holt were tied for third at 376.
Lincoln Christian shot 440. The Crusaders were led by junior Susana Becher, who shot 105.
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Assistant sports editor/high schools
