By Matt Gade

605 Sports

RAPID CITY — A season ago, an ACL tear forced St. Thomas More’s Rylan Horning to miss out on her sophomore season and unable to defend her title as the reigning Class A state champion golfer.

In her absence, teammate and then eighth-grader Kaitlin Strain emerged out of the pack as the second straight individual state champion for the Cavaliers.

Now fully healthy, the Cavaliers find themselves with a pair of individual state champions with the potential to lead the girl's team to their first-ever team title.

While she wasn’t able to defend her title, Horning proved to be a calming voice for Strain while heading into the final day of the Class A state tournament last year.

“She (Horning) really helped me, like, the night before, just prepare myself, because I was very nervous,” Strain said. “She helped me to mentally just know that it's okay and whatever happens, I did my best.”

“I just felt like she was over hyping herself,” Horning said of helping Strain relax for day two. “At the end of the day, you put your work in. So you just have to go out there and show what you already did. Nothing's going to change that night, that you're stressing out on. Just go out there and perform on the course.”

After day one of the Class A golf championship, Strain found herself in a three-way tie with Sioux Falls Christian’s Tori Peterson and Rapid City Christian’s Hayden Thorton with a 77. On day two, Strain shot a 75 for a 152 (+10) finish and two stroke win over Peterson and West Central’s Ari Jacobs (154).

St. Thomas More's Kaitlin Strain competes in the Class A state golf meet last year. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

In 2023, Horning became just the second Cavalier to win an individual state title. In 1997, Horning’s mom - then Ashley Cariveau - claimed the school’s first-ever girl's individual state title as the Class B individual champion her freshman season.

26 years later, Rylan repeated the feat to a home crowd shooting a 156 total (+12) and coming in six strokes ahead of second place as the Class A state tournament was held at Meadowbrook Golf Course in Rapid City.

“It was very cool (to win). At the end, it didn't really set in. I was like, ‘This is pretty cool,’ but it hadn't set in yet,” Horning said. “But it was definitely something that was very impactful to me.

“(Last year) it was definitely hard to see people play the sport that you love to play. But it made me realize how much not to take the sport you love for granted.”

Now with two returning state champions and a healthy squad, Horning and Strain said they want to win the school’s first ever team title for girls golf.

“I think they understand that they both have achieved something that 120 golfers try to do a year, and want to try to become a state champion,” STM head coach Brandon Kandolin. “So with that both being under their belt, I think that they're looking at the other goal of — we've not had a team state title. So what can they do as leaders, with the experience, and you know what it takes to get there, what are they going to do to bring some of the other young ones up, because we are a very young team, and what can we do to get those to score in the range that we need to put ourselves in contention? I think that they are ready for that.”

“I feel like we have a really great chance to do it,” Strain said of a possible team title.

Back in the fall, Horning was cleared to start golfing again and was eventually cleared for full contact in the middle of the basketball season finishing out the second half of the season with her teammates including Strain. 

While they’re multi-sport athletes, Horning and Strain say their first passion is golf. 

And even though the team isn’t allowed their first practice until Monday, that didn’t stop Horning and Strain from hitting balls on their own. Whether on a simulator or a course. They said they consider Hart Ranch as their home course.

“The great part is just how well those two get along,” Kandolin said. “They're in each other's corner. They root for each other. They will definitely push each other to be at the top of their game all the time. 

“I get to coach them in basketball too. So, I think two great personalities, two great golfers, two driven people, very driven. They work hard for what they get so I’m very excited to see what this season brings.”

As teammates who spend a lot of time together, Strain and Horning are very complementary to each other’s skill sets. Strain said Horning’s ability to properly select club heads and read greens are some of her biggest strengths. While Horning said Strain’s ability to continuously hit straight and where she’s aiming for is one of hers.

While standing 5’4 a piece, coach Kandolin said they’re complete golfers.

“They maximize their distance,” he said. “You don't see a lot of girls that size that can hit the ball as far as they can, which is just a testament to they've got the technique, they've got what it takes to be a good golfer. 

“Around the greens, they have become very good on what they can do, as far as putting themselves in a position to not put up big numbers. They've got great hands. They've got soft hands. I think they can understand how to read a green and understand how to navigate a bad situation. I think they've got all aspects, not just the physical but the mental part.”

Horning and Strain said it’s been their parents who got them interested in golf at a really young age that has led to their development.

“I feel like golf isn't really like you have to be big to do something,” Horning said. “You just kind of have to have the mechanics and know where you want to hit the ball and then make sure it goes in that direction. That and making sure you get up and down the green in your short game gets you far.”

St Thomas More’s Kaitlin Strain is congratulated by Rapid City Christian’s Hayden Thorton after finishing her final round on the 18th hole Tuesday during the State Class A girls golf tournament at Bakker Crossing Golf Club near Sioux Falls. (Rodney Haas / 605 Sports)

Last year’s Cavaliers who competed at the state golf tournament include Strain, Finley Young, Amity Strand, Brianne Katzenstein and Maggie Honeycutt. 

Horning and Strand would be the most senior members of this year’s squad as the pair are both juniors.

“We have a lot of young talent, so we have a lot of bright futures ahead of us,” Strain said.

As Strain and Horning find themselves perhaps being their toughest competition throughout the season, they’re both excited to get back out and tee off the 2025 season. 

Neither one will concede who is the better golfer, but they say they’re each other’s biggest supporters.

“It'll definitely be a challenge,” Strain said of competing against Horning. “But it'll be fun because we'll get to push each other to be the best that we can be, and we'll celebrate each other's successes.”