Who are Central Kentucky’s top high school golfers heading into the postseason?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Central Kentucky leads with most boys and girls teams at All State Championships
- Rising freshmen and returning champions headline deep individual talent pools
- All State results help determine postseason honors and Mr. and Miss Golf titles
There will be a strong contingent of Central Kentucky high school golfers at this weekend’s KGCA All State Championships at the University Club of Kentucky, including Woodford County’s Bradford Lacefield and Lafayette’s Clay Noble on the boys side and Frederick Douglass’ Willa Borough and Franklin County’s Mary Clayton Rodgers for the girls as individual qualifiers.
In addition, the Kentucky Golf Coaches Association’s showcase event will feature two Kentucky Miss Golfs (who are also past KHSAA state champions), as well as five boys teams and four girls teams from Central Kentucky’s 9th Region, the most of any area of Kentucky.
The All State Championships, contested over two days on the U Club’s Big Blue and Wildcat courses, have become a top-flight tune-up for high school golf’s postseason, which is just a week away with many region tournaments teeing off Sept. 22.
Last year, Lexington Catholic’s Charlie Spiller won the All State, the 9th Region tournament and the KHSAA individual state championship on his way to Mr. Golf honors before graduation.
Then-junior Athena Singh of Rowan County earned Miss Golf honors after claiming her region title and the KHSAA girls individual state title after a second-place finish at the All State.
Singh will have a three-time Miss Golf among her competitors in Lexington on Saturday and Sunday since Marshall County’s Trinity Beth returned to high school play after a year off.
Beth, a senior and two-time KHSAA state champion, ranks second to Cumberland junior Kenzie Willen in the All State standings and will also lead her Marshals team.
Douglass’ Borough and Franklin County’s Rodgers, both freshmen, rank fourth and fifth on the All State list, respectively.
On the boys side, Marshall County senior Ryan Stokes ranks just ahead of Woodford’s Lacefield, another senior, in the All State standings. As a junior, Lacefield was part of a four-way playoff for the 9th Region title.
Lafayette’s Noble is tied for fourth on the All State list with Campbell County’s Talen Beane and Pulaski County’s Luke Ousley.
Three-time defending KHSAA boys team state champion Madison Central, Louisville’s St. Xavier and McCracken County top the boys team qualifiers for the All State.
The Indians return three seniors from last year’s title winners — Seth Barker, Tucker Jones and basketball standout Jake Feldhaus. Madison Central lost a playoff to St. Xavier for the All State team trophy last year.
Defending 9th Region girls team champion Madison Central and Lexington Christian come into the All State tied atop the girls team point standings.
All five of Madison Central’s golfers — Mollie Neeley, Mackenzie Federspiel, Aubrey Barrow, Rosie Patterson and Haley Federspiel — rank among the top 50 golfers in the state. LCA boasts four golfers on that list: Carter Lankford, Piper Dunn, Grace Soale and Caroline Lankford.
Neeley, Mackenzie Federspiel and Soale finished 1-2-3 in last year’s 9th Region Tournament.
The All State field is limited to the respective top 15 boys and girls teams and the top 21 individual golfers outside those teams, according to the current KGCA boys and girls All State points standings.
All State points are awarded at all KGCA-sanctioned events during the regular season and postseason based on individual and team finishes. In addition to setting this weekend’s fields, they also determine the KGCA’s final postseason all-state honors, including its Mr. and Miss Golf awards.
Top finishers this weekend will earn points similar to what they can gain from the KHSAA’s postseason tournaments because the competition level is so high.
Top 9th Region golfers at the All State
Here’s a look at the individual boys and girls golfers from Central Kentucky’s 9th Region who currently rank among the state’s top 50 players, respectively. All qualified for this weekend’s All State Championships. Players are listed with their overall All State points ranking and points.
BOYS INDIVIDUALS
2. Bradford Lacefield, Woodford County, Sr., 660
5. Clay Noble, Lafayette, Sr., 640
7. Seth Barker, Madison Central, Sr., 620
12. Jake Feldhaus, Madison Central, Sr., 605
17. Carson Nicholas, Henry Clay, Jr., 580
20. Brady Parker, Scott County, Sr., 545
21. Tucker Jones, Madison Central, Sr., 540
22. Luke Ebel, Lexington Christian , So., 535
30. Anderson Lang, Frederick Douglass, So., 515
33. Ashton Gordon, Frederick Douglass, So., 510
42. Andrew Perry, George Rogers Clark , So., 480
44. Wyatt Merkins, Scott County, Sr,, 475
50. Carter Denton, Frankfort, Sr., 450
GIRLS INDIVIDUALS
4. Willa Borough, Frederick Douglass, Fr., 640
5. Mary Clayton Rodgers, Franklin County, Fr., 630
9. Carter Lankford, Lexington Christian, Sr., 590
10. Mollie Neeley, Madison Central, Sr., 590
13. Parker Haddix, Lexington Catholic, 7th, 565
14. Piper Dunn, Lexington Christian, 8th, 560
17. Mackenzie Federspiel, Madison Central, Sr., 545
18. Grace Soale, Lexington Christian Academy, Jr., 540
19. Emerson Bowling, Franklin County, So., 535
21. Aubrey Barrow, Madison Central, Sr., 520
26. Georgia Scott, Lexington Catholic, Sr., 445
27. Rosie Patterson, Madison Central, Fr., 440
28. Abigail Caine, Woodford County, Jr., 435
33. Candice Tanmas, Frederick Douglass, Fr., 375
39. Caroline Lankford, Lexington Christian, Fr., 310
42. Haley Federspiel, Madison Central, Sr., 295
All State Championship Team Qualifiers
Here are the respective top 15 boys and girls teams who qualified for the All State Championships this weekend with their regions and season point totals. Teams from the 9th Region in bold.
BOYS TEAMS
1. Madison Central, 9th, 700; 2. St. Xavier, 6th, 700; 3. McCracken County, 1st, 700; 4. Hazard, 11th, 660; 5. Ryle, 7th, 660; 6. Trinity, 6th, 660; 7. Lexington Christian, 9th, 650; 8. Eastern, 6th, 650; 9. Scott County, 9th, 640; 10. Marshall County, 1st, 640; 11. Oldham County, 6th, 630; 12. Russell County, 4th, 630; 13. Taylor County, 4th, 630; 14. Frederick Douglass, 9th, 610; 15. Henry Clay, 9th, 610
GIRLS TEAMS
1. Lexington Christian, 9th, 700; 2. Madison Central, 9th, 700; 3. Sacred Heart, 6th, 680; 4. Owen County, 8th, 670; 5. Bowling Green, 3rd, 660; 6. Daviess County, 2nd, 630; 7. Marshall County, 1st, 620; 8. Franklin County, 9th, 600; 9. Frederick Douglass, 9th, 600; 10. West Jessamine, 4th, 585; 11. Ohio County, 2nd, 585; 12. Ryle, 7th, 580; 13. South Oldham, 6th, 580; 14. Henderson County, 2nd, 560; 15. Taylor County, 4th, 555
KGCA All State Championships
Sept. 13-14: Boys and girls at the University Club of Kentucky.
9th Region Championships
Sept. 22: Boys at The University Club at Arlington in Richmond
Sept. 24: Girls at Lakeside Golf Course.
KHSAA State Championships
Sept. 29: Girls State First Round at Winchester Country Club.
Sept. 30: Boys State First Round at Winchester Country Club.
Oct. 7-8: Girls State Final Rounds at Bowling Green Country Club.
Oct. 9-10: Boys State Final Rounds at Bowling Green Country Club.
This story was originally published September 11, 2025 at 6:45 AM.
