The Advance Hornets, led by a 7-over-par 79 by junior Brian Whitson, were tied for seventh place in the team standings after the first round of the Class 1 state golf tournament Monday at Meadow Lakes Acres Country Club in New Bloomfield, Missouri.

Whitson is tied for fifth, four shots behind leader La Plata's Logan Smith, who opened with a 75. Smith leads Sean Weber of Barat Academy by one stroke.

Whitson has the best individual standing among the 10 local players who are participating in the four state tournaments around the state.

Hornets freshman Carson Miles shot an 86 for the Hornets and was tied for 23rd. Grant Woodfin (97), a senior, and Spence Lorch (101), a junior, rounded out Advance's team score of 363.

The Hornets, who are in the third year of their program and making their first state-tournament appearance as a team, are tied with Gainesville in the nine-team field.

Penney shot 331 as a team to take a six-shot lead over second-place La Plata into today's second and final round.

In Class 2, Saxony Lutheran sophomore Karsten Short opened with an 86 at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Missouri, and was tied for 44th. Kory Franks of Blair Oaks shot a sizzling 5-under 67 to hold a three-shot lead over a trio of players. They were among eight golfers in the field who shot par or better.

In Class 3, Kobe Franklin of Central shot a 5-over 77 and was tied for 15th at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club in Bolivar, Missouri. Franklin, a junior, was six shots behind Nevada's John Quitno, who had a two-stroke lead after shooting a 1-under 71.

Notre Dame sophomore Jonathan Bell opened with an 81 and was tied for 34th. Bulldogs senior Trent Schumer was four strokes back, tied for 57th after carding an 85.

In Class 4 at the Sedalia Country Club in Sedalia, Missouri, Jackson junior Hunter Asher shot a 6-over 76 and was tied for 21st. Jackson senior Eli Pike shot an opening 84. Lafayette's Dillon Eaton led the field with a 1-under 69, with Lindbergh's Christopher Ferris a shot back at even par.