Bruner, Nacos, Tanner now part of Washington golf history

ADEL — They were deprived of a year of their high school golf career, yet the three seniors on the state champion Washington girls team have quite a legacy as Demons.

Kiki Bruner, Anna Nacos and Josie Tanner have been constants at the girls state meet with Washington team titles freshmen year and senior year. Both were 28-stroke victories, although 2018 was a five-stroke lead after Day 1 and it was 17 in 2021.

“It was a nice win, but it was too close for comfort,” Tanner said. “You know, it is golf, and it is one of the most humbling sports.”

Nacos has a third team title as a member of Dubuque Wahlert in 2019.

The 2018 win was Washington’s third state trophy in four seasons. The 2019 team was sixth, and Wednesday’s title was Washington’s sixth championship.

If there had been a 2020 season, “I think we had a pretty good shot at winning state, if we had played last year,” Nacos said, pointing out that the six members of this year’s team would have all played last year.

Their freshmen year, there were three seniors with Megan Strabala, Allison Vogel and Sarah Nacos, Anna’s older sister.

“Those three freshmen work harder than anyone I have ever seen,” Sarah Nacos said at the time. This year, there were three sophomores in Makenna Conrad, Kaylin Long and Alecia Goff considered freshmen because of no season last year.

A Gilbert player won the individual title all three years. Britta Snyder shot 142 to win in 2018. Sarah Nacos shot 158, three shots back of second place and one stroke better than Anna. Bruner was 16th at 169 and Tanner 31st at 182.

“Kiki is a great competitor and a role model and the quality of golfer that Josie is, she elevates the whole team,” Kull said. “I think what we witnessed (at state in 2018) was the passing of the torch. Anna played so well but Sarah came back strong. As a freshman playing in the shadow of her sister, it was important for Anna to be Anna.”

Snyder had a 7-under two-day total of 135 in 2019. Anna Jensen of Wahlert was second at 150 and teammate Anna Nacos 152. Bruner shot 153 to place fourth. Tanner was 24th at 183.

Wednesday Eden Lorhbach’s 149 won. Bruner was second at 151, Nacos fifth at 163 and Tanner 22nd at 185.

“We don’t even bother talking about (winning state). Our motto is getting better every day,” Demons coach Len Kull said.

Bruner said her teammates had title expectations.

“I think all of us had the state championship in our sights,” Bruner said.

After winning the Southeast Conference title, Bruner said she had an individual title as a goal but that it was secondary to wanting a team title. “As long as I play good, I will be happy with where I finish.”

“All three years I was able to win with my team, and there is no greater feeling,” Anna Nacos said.

When one has been that good for that long, it seems they would have experienced most everything. However, Anna Nacos saved something for her senior at state that she hadn’t done before. She had a nine on her score card for the first time in a high school round.

"That was the end all, be all for that round,“ she said. ”Going out of bounds will kill you. It was not a good day.“ Sticking with the trend, she was in the fescue in Round 2 on holes 14 and 18. ”I had to take a drop and that really hurt me.“

She did not let that get her down.

“The best part for me was just the fact that I kept playing after that nine,” Nacos said. “Our team won so that’s the biggest thing. We tried not to talk about state until we got here and when we got here we said, ’All we have to do is shoot our average.’”

The averages were earned on much easier courses than state. Individual averages: Bruner 75, Nacos 79, Tanner 89, Conrad 89, Long 92, Goff 100. State scores: Bruner 77-74, Nacos 80-83, Tanner 96-89, Conrad 90-89, Long 93-102, Goff 110-125.

“We wound up shooting pretty much the same all year,” Kull said. “It was just very consistent. We kept playing hard and working on different things.”

When Nacos played for Wahlert, she and Tanner were in the same group both days.

“We got to talk about old times and relive old memories,” Tanner said. “There were a lot of laughs. It was fun.”

Those old times and old memories are not only theirs but part of Washington lore.

“I had a feeling from the start of the season that I was going to be part of something special,” Bruner said. “I was really excited. I had high hopes, too.”