GCHS takes WAC team, POY, coach honors
Before the 2025 fall girls’ golf season teed off, there was near consensus thought that the Garden City Lady Buffaloes would repeat as the Western Athletic Conference champions.
After all, the Buffs returned five of their six golfers from the title team of 2024, including standouts Brooke Savolt and Ailynn Anderson along with improved Breckyn Lucas, Megan Burr and Lakyn Warren. All are juniors and this was the third year of varsity competition for all but Warren, who came out her sophomore season.
Those early predictions held true as the Lady Buffs easily captured all five conference tournaments to finish with a perfect 25 points (5-4-3-2-1 for each tournament) and then took four of the six spots on the all-WAC first team along with another on the second team.
Add in Savolt earning Player of the Year honors and Coach Chris Duncan getting tabbed as COY, and it was a complete sweep by the Lady Buffs.
“I think the girls spent a lot of time last summer competing in Central Links Golf tournaments,” Duncan said. “They were busy traveling, getting some great competition and working hard to improve their games.”
Indeed, it seems every single player lowered their tournament scoring average in 2025, including Warren, who despite not having a counting score during the regular season, had a career-low round at the 6A regional and nearly had her score count. She improved her stroke average by nearly 10 shots this season.
“I’m proud of all the girls as they’ve worked so hard to get better,” Duncan said. “When you see your fifth player continuing to get better, it’s very encouraging. And our top players just have a great work ethic.”
Savolt won four of the five WAC tournaments with Anderson taking medalist honors in the other to finish 1-2 in the POY race with 74 and 70 points, respectively (15 points for first, etc., all the way to 1 point for 15th place.
“I think a number of the girls spent time in the summer taking lessons and working with (Buffalo Dunes head pro) Jason Hase and that helped immensely,” Duncan said. “I think all of them improved their distance and accuracy.”
Once the fall preseason began in mid-August, Duncan had his team working a lot on the short game, hitting all types of wedge shots, chipping and putting drills nearly every day.
“A lot of the shots we worked on were bump-and-run, but also higher pitch shots,” Duncan said. “We play on a lot of different courses with different kinds of grass, and it creates different kinds of shots required.”
Consistency was also another area where each of his players improved. There were not as many double bogeys dotting the scorecards this season, Duncan said.
“If they got into trouble, we just told them to pitch out and try to make no worse than bogey,” Duncan said. “They were not all over the map with their scores. A lot of pars, bogeys, birdies but not so many doubles or triples.”
Another major improvement came from Lucas, who was consistently the fourth score in 2024, but in several events was the third lowest score.
“She’s gone from shooting mainly in the mid-90s to many mid-80s to high 80s,” Duncan said. “She has worked incredibly hard to improve and it is showing in her tournament scores.”
The Buffs were so dominant that they took the top three spots on the POY list with Lucas finishing behind her two teammates and Burr taking the sixth spot. Warren earned second-team all-WAC. Their average margin of victory was nearly 50 shots.
“It’s great to see all of them getting some success,” Duncan said. “It’s been a lot of fun to see them working hard, getting better, and enjoying playing together as a team.”
The team title was the 15th for the Lady Buffs’ program since the WAC was organized in 1984.
Savolt earns a bit of redemption in winning POY
It wasn’t the key motivator for her 2025 season, but somewhere in the back of her mind, Brooke Savolt felt like she had something she wanted to prove to herself.
After missing one WAC tournament due to illness last year, Savolt did make the all-WAC first team, but missed an opportunity to battle teammate Ailynn Anderson and Hays’ Jaycee Oakley for the top spot.
She made all the amends necessary during the 2025 season, playing in all five WAC tourneys, winning four of them and placing second in the other to finish with 74 points (perfect score is 75) and bring home the POY Award.
Her award snapped a five-year run by Hays individuals and was the first for Garden City since 2019 when Alyssa McMillen won the award.
“There were times where it felt stressful and I hoped I would have a chance to win,” Savolt said of the POY award. “I had a chance last year but got sick for the Dodge tournament. I knew me and Ailynne would be battling it out.”
Savolt held a three-point lead going into the final WAC tournament, which was played on the Buffs’ home layout, Buffalo Dunes Golf Course.
“I tried to be calm and play like normal,” said Savolt who closed out her regular season with a 5-over-par 77 on the demanding Dunes layout. “It gives me some confidence that I can play good at other courses.”
One of the factors in her improved game has been her ability to hit more greens in regulation.
“I’m hitting my irons better, and I’m hitting them more accurately and giving myself more chances for birdies,” Savolt said. “The mental game has improved a whole lot. I’m much better at not being so hard on myself.”
Savolt said she spent most of her summer playing in junior tournaments as well as practicing and getting lessons at home.
“Two to three times a week all I would do is come out to the golf course and chip and putt,” Savolt said. “My goals with the drills were to get the chips closer than five feet. This gives me more confidence.”
There were several goals Savolt had set for herself and her team for 2025. Some have now been accomplished; some have yet to come to fruition.
“I want our team to be playing the second day at state, and I want to finish higher at the state,” said Savolt, who placed 18th a year ago. “I think we push each other to play better and it’s been a lot of fun.”
Western Athletic Conference
2025 All-WAC Girls Golf
Team Standings
Garden City, 25; 2. Hays, 20; 3. Dodge City, 15; 4. Great Bend, 9; 5. Liberal, 5
All-WAC First Team
(Points earned during 5 WAC Tournaments)
(Awarded on 15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Basis)
FIRST TEAM
1. Brooke Savolt, Garden City, 74; 2. Ailynn Anderson, Garden City, 70; 3. Breckyn Lucas, Garden City, 59.0; 4. Kinley Pfannenstiel, Hays, 58.0; 5. Ava Erbert, Hays, 55.5; 6. Megan Burr, Garden City, 53.5
SECOND TEAM
7. Breckyn Putnam, Dodge City, 47.5; 8. Brooklyn Koerner, Hays, 35.5; 9. Kylee Miessler, Great Bend, 29.0; 10. Lakyn Warren, Garden City, 21.5; 11. Kale Culwell, Dodge City, 20.0; 12. Lily Butler, Hays, 14.5
Player of the Year – Brook Savolt, Garden City, Jr., 74.0 Points
Coach of the Year – Chris Duncan, Garden City
