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LOCAL GOLF NEWS
by Larry Frevert , contributing writer
Summit Christian Academy Boys ’ Golf Team Wins Back-to-Back High School State Championships
The June 2023 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE Magazine included an article on the Summit Christian Academy ( SCA ) Eagles Boys ’ Golf Team winning the school ’ s firstever state championship in any sport . The Eagles did that by winning the Class 2 state tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield with one senior , one junior , and three freshmen .
In compliance with the Missouri State High School Activities Association ( MSHSSA ) policy , private schools ( or , more accurately , schools that can control their enrollment as private schools do ) receive points based on district and state tournament results . Over a sixyear period , a certain accumulated number of points requires you to advance to the next higher class with a maximum of two advances possible . By winning district and state last year , the Eagles advanced to Class 3 for the 2024 season . Not a problem for the Eagles as they again swept district and state ( coincidentally also held at Rivercut in 2024 ), plus four out of five other tournaments this year , including the conference tournament . Now , SCA will advance to Class 4 for the 2025 golf season .
Summit Christian Academy is an independent , non-denominational Christian School in Lee ’ s Summit , MO , serving over 1,250 students –– preschool through high school — at its 36-acre campus . Established in 1989 , SCA has distinguished itself as a top private school within the Kansas City area and a leader in Christian education in the Midwest region . SCA is an MSHSSA member .
While winning six golf tournaments ( the team finished second in the only one they didn ’ t win ), the SCA golf team broke the school record score in its very first tournament . Then it broke that record twice more , culminating with scores of 295 strokes ( five players are on the team , and the low four scores are counted in each tournament ) each day of the state tournament . That total of 590 strokes for four players over two days at state means the team was only 14 strokes over par for 144 holes of golf ! This score resulted in a 15-stroke victory over Eldon High School . Of the 48 Missouri high schools that competed across five classes , only two schools in the largest class , Class 5 , had a lower aggregate total score than SCA .
The team is led by Coach Gary Breshears , who is assisted by his brother , Assistant Coach Roger Breshears . Anchoring the team , Senior Hayden Perry was joined by Sophomores Tristan Aitken , Jack Seitz , Peyton Smith , and Ben Wheeler .
There are no “ High School Golf Coach of the Year ” awards in the State of Missouri , but in the opinion of this writer , Coach Breshears surely would have been the “ Coach of the Year ” in Class 2 last year ( 2023 ) as the Eagles won its first-ever state title and repeated this year with another state championship while moving up to Class 3 .
Three Eagles golf team members earned All-State honors based on their finishes at the 2024 state tournament . Tristan Aitkens finished 14th with a two-day total of seven over par . Ben Wheeler finished second at two under par , and Peyton Smith won his second straight state individual medalist title with a three under par score for the two days .
Despite a lightning delay on day one and heavy “ play-stopping ” rain downpours each day , this year ’ s tournament featured outstanding golf . Wheeler led the way the first day and held a two-stroke lead over Smith and Eldon ’ s Teagen Hull at day ’ s end .
The second day had “ edge of your seat ” excitement as Wheeler and Smith jockeyed for position at the top of the leaderboard . The excitement culminated when Smith ’ s four-iron from 240 yards reached the par-5 18th hole in two , and two strokes later , his birdie gave him a one-stroke lead . When Wheeler ’ s second shot was wide of the green and a good pitch resulted in a two-putt par , Smith had secured his back-to-back state high school medalist titles . Smith ( -3 ) and Wheeler ( -2 ), along with California ’ s Will Boyd and Dexter ’ s Fredric Nesselrodt ( each at -1 ), were the only four boys to break par for the 36 holes .
The
Class 3 Missouri High School Boys ’ s Golf Champions for 2024 , the Summit Christian Eagles and Coaches ( left to right ) Jack Seitz , Peyton Smith , Hayden Perry , Assistant Coach Roger Breshears , Coach Gary Breshears , Tristan Aitken , and Ben Wheeler .
Although SCA will compete in Class 4 during state play next year , the Eagles , like the Chiefs , will seek a “ three-peat ” in 2024 ! �
Writer Larry Frevert is the proud grandparent of Peyton Smith . In May , he won the Ledgestone Club Super Senior ( 75 +) Championship .
8 July 2024 TEE TIMES GOLF GUIDE