THS placed third Monday at the Clay Center Country Club, finishing the day with a 414 score.

Wamego won the regional title with a low score of 358. Hayden placed second with a 388.

The top four teams from each of the three regionals advanced to state, so host Clay Center also will be headed to state next week at Salina, as the Tigers finished the day in fourth place with a 445.

Tonganoxie was poised to make a state run last year as well, but COVID-19 protocols and contact tracing forced York off the course just a few holes into the tournament, which last year was in Hesston.

Tonganoxie still was represented, as Morgan Brusven advanced to state individually, but there was no repeat team appearance.

On Monday, Tonganoxie was down a golfer again.

Sophomore Santiana Garcia got eight holes into the regional when she exited with an injury.

THS coach Doug Sandburg said Monday night he had monitored Garcia as she continued. He then conferred with assistant coach Stephanie Wittman.

Sandburg said he would be discussing scenarios this week with Kansas State High School Activities Association, such as Garcia’s state eligibility after withdrawing at regionals or someone filling in for her spot in the event she’s not at 100% next week.

“We were lucky this time because the rest of the girls pulled together and played well enough and got us third there,” Sandburg said.

Senior Chilali Tanner placed 13th with a 101, while fellow senior Keerstin McNeely and junior Emma Skelly tied for 21st after each shot a 114. Sophomore Abbigail Clarkson wasn’t far behind in 26th. She shot a 122.

THS won four tournaments during the regular season this year, taking second in three more and third in another invitational. Individually, Hayden York has been breaking records, setting a new program record for consecutive titles and low score. She also broke her own low-score record for the program, which is in its fifth year. Her current school record is 76, which she set last week at the Anderson County invitational in Garnett. A week ago, York won her sixth straight individual title with an 83 at the Basehor-Linwood Invitational at Falcon Lakes.

On Monday, York shot a 45 on the front nine, five strokes behind leader Jollen Vogt from Eudora. But the junior gained ground on the back nine and finished as runner-up with an 85, just one stroke behind Vogt, who won the regional title with an 84.

“This might have been the first time she felt a little bit of the heat and everyone was gunning for her,” Sandburg said. “She had a little drought to start and Hayden finally settled down and played the normal golf she had been playing.”

Sandburg also commended the team for keeping its focus as the girls played with five golfers instead of six.

Monday’s regional marked Tonganoxie’s second third-place finish this year. The team also won four tournaments in the regular season and finished as runner-up three times.

Winfield also is headed to state after winning the team title at the Chanute Regional with a low score of 362. The Vikings finished well ahead of the other three state qualifiers: Fort Scott with 438, Chanute with 450 and Independence with 453.

Rounding out the 12-team state field from the Hesston Regional are Pratt, Buhler, Augusta and Andale. Pratt won the regional with a 407. Buhler was right behind at 410, while Augusta shot a 418 and Andale a 432.

State tee time is 9 a.m. Monday at Salina Municipal Golf Course. Teams will play 18 holes that day, with the Top 6 teams advancing to Day 2 Tuesday with the possibility for individual golfers to also advance.

Sandburg said THS golfers would head Sunday to Salina to play a practice round as they get ready for Monday morning.

“I think we’ve got a chance to be in the top half if we keep working,” Sandburg said. “I don’t think we played our best (at regionals), but hopefully we find our form and it will be better at the state tournament.”