Mansfield Wins State!

Over her four year career at Grace High School Kamryn Mansfield has consistently been one of the top girl golfers in the state.  Kamryn has spent those four years picking up several awards including two individual district championships as well as helping her team secure wins and trophies along the way.  Through it all Kamryn has maintained a positive attitude while keeping her competitive spirit.  Although she always appreciated all the accolades she received, one award seemed just out of reach, a state championship.  Mansfield was finally able to remedy that situation last week as she walked onto the course at the Scotch Pines Golf Course in Payette.  Following years of competition this would be the last tournament in the senior’s high school career and she wanted to make the most of it. 

Kamryn entered the state tournament coming off of a tough battle at the district tournament.  At districts Kamryn came up a little short to the very talented Jayden Parker from Soda Springs. Of that district tournament Kamryn stated, “I was feeling good going into it but golf is full of ups and downs. I didn't play my best that day but that's just kinda how it is. I’m not going to perform my best every tournament.”  When asked if coming in second at districts had any affect on her going into state she responded with,”I did get a couple of extra lessons in to touch up my swing but I went into state not really caring where I would end up placing. I just wanted to go have fun because I knew it was my last high school tournament and I just wanted to end happy no matter the outcome.”  The state tournament is a two day tournament.  After a solid first round Mansfield found herself sitting in third place in a very tightly grouped leader board.  “As long as I was in contention going into day two I knew I would have a shot at winning.”  Mansfield's day two was spectacular.  After trailing by one stroke at the end of day one Kamryn outshot the second place competitor by six strokes on day two and was the only girl to shoot under an eighty on the day.  When I asked her how that second round felt Kamryn answered, “It just felt free and relaxed. Kyle (Coach Christensen) refused to tell me how anyone else was shooting on the field. He was just letting me play my game. I was just having fun.”

After finishing her final round Kamryn had to wait for the final group to finish to see where she would end up.  As the last group entered their final hole it was revealed to Kamryn that she had a big enough lead that no one was going to overtake her and she was going to be the state champion.  “I got excited and all of my teammates came and jumped on me. It was just so surreal, to know the work I've put in all these years playing at Grace, to have that work pay off when I needed it the most at the end. It felt awesome.”  When asked what it took for her to become a state champion Kamryn immediately mentioned the people around her. “When I was little we knew that I kinda had a knack for golf. I think having family, teammates and friends pushing me consistently is how I became successful.”  In addition to her friends and family Kamryn was quick to thank her coaches Kyle Christensen, Scott Dille, and John VanVleet as well as former Lady Grizzly standout Lindsey Lloyd.

With the state championship win Kamryn becomes just the second player and first girl in school history to win an individual golf state championship.  The other being Logan Lloyd ten years ago.  Kamryn’s high school career may be over but she will continue to play golf, signing on to play at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston.  She will join several international teammates on one of the top teams in the nation in their division.

I finished by asking Kamryn what her favorite memory from her high school career was and she surprised me by not mentioning any awards or championships.  “It would have to be when me and Karlie Christensen played in a scramble where we were having so much fun and laughing the entire time. We ended up beating the boys scramble team and they got so mad about it.  That was for sure one of the funnest rounds I have ever played.”