Selected by Staff Writer Randy Jennings based on regular-season and postseason results.

BOYS | GIRLS

Jeff Edelman earned his first trip to the golf course as a 4-year-old when he was finally able to hit Wiffle golf balls from his front yard to the roof of his neighbor's house.

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He entered his first tournament at 6.

"I always had power," Edelman said. "The key for me is hitting fairways. If I do, I'll hit greens a high percentage of the time. And if I'm putting well, that's when I'm playing my best."

Edelman made 14 birdies in his two state rounds this season when he missed winning by one shot.

Edelman narrowly missed qualifying for the EDS Byron Nelson Championship this month.

This summer, he is focusing on amateur events, primarily the North-South Amateur in July at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.

Edelman said he avoids burnout by not thinking about golf when he isn't on the course.

Weight lifting has helped the 5-10, 178-pound Edelman add power. But golf is not his only motivation to spend time in the gym. "I do it for the girls, too," he said.

E-mail rjennings@dallasnews.com

Notable: Shot 136 at Class 5A state to finish runner-up for the second straight year.

About Edelman: Will attend Duke on scholarship in the fall with hopes of one day making it to the PGA Tour.

What you don't know: He didn't attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open this year because he couldn't afford to miss another day of school.

Notable: Led Highland Park boys to their seventh consecutive state title, breaking the record shared with Sour Lake Hardin-Jefferson.

About Loyd: The coach is careful to make sure his players are familiar with the venues for the regional and state tournaments.

What you don't know: "I'd love to take flying lessons and learn how to fly a plane. I'd like to get my license some day."

Notable: Shot 139 at state, finishing runner-up in Class 4A.

About Gribble: Committed to Texas as a freshman. In case a golf career doesn't work out, he said, a business degree would be a good backup.

What you don't know: "Every Sept. 1, I go dove hunting with my family to Breckenridge, Texas."

Notable: Shot 141 at state, tied for fifth in Class 5A.

About Blundell: The Oklahoma signee made four regional appearances, won two individual district titles and three team district titles.

What you don't know: "I'm a second cousin to Michael Nesmith, a member of The Monkees, and my great aunt [Bette Graham] invented Liquid Paper."

Notable: Shot 140 at state, third in Class 4A.

About Haley: Georgia Tech recruit became the first to start on four state championship boys golf teams in school history.

What you don't know: "I've been working for Randy Smith at Royal Oaks Country Club since I was 7, and I'm a Mav fanatic."

Notable: Shot 138 at state, finishing third individually, and sank a three-foot putt in a playoff to clinch the Class 5A team title.

About Peterson: He is contemplating offers from five major colleges, including LSU.

What you don't know: "Most don't, but I actually like the occasional 40-yard bunker shot. I'm pretty good at it."

Notable: Shot 141 at state, fourth in Class 4A

About Ward: Oklahoma State signee was runner-up individually in Class 5A as sophomore and in Class 4A as a junior.

What you don't know: "My favorite place to play golf is the West Coast because of the weather."

There was a time when Lila Barton didn't like golf.

"Actually, I hated it," said Barton. "None of my friends played, and it wasn't fun. But I didn't tell my dad how I felt, and I still played."

She was 10. Her perspective changed when she won the Texas-Oklahoma junior event at 11.

"I got a trophy about half my size and I started to like the game," she said.

The trophies come frequently now.

After finishing second as a freshman, Barton added the Class 4A medalist award to her collection earlier this month.

She recently tied for first with partner Josh Jones of The Colony in an AJGA team event, losing in a playoff. She finished third in a Women's U.S. Open qualifier in St. Louis, advancing to a sectional qualifier.

Last summer, she played on the Junior Solheim Cup team.

She says distance off the tee is the strength of her game. Only 5-5, she said strong legs and back generate her power.

Her favorite club is a new putter.

"I've gone five rounds without a three-putt," she said. "I'm making a lot of putts. It's a big change, because I used to struggle so much on the greens."

Notable: Shot 141 to win Class 4A state championship

About Barton: State runner-up as a freshman and SportsDay's top newcomer

What you don't know: She has played in tournaments that have included Paula Creamer and Morgan Pressel and said their success is a confidence- booster.

Notable: Shot two sub-par rounds to win the District 7-5A title by 12 shots.

About Kirkpatrick: She transferred from East Texas, where she had much junior success, this year when her parents took coaching jobs in Cedar Hill.

What you don't know: She loves animals, especially kangaroos, and has a pet horned toad she named Spike.

Notable: Shot 145 to win her third medalist title in TAPPS 6A.

About Argo: She is giving up competitive golf to concentrate on studies this fall at Baylor.

What you don't know: "When I was younger, I wanted to be a country-western singer, and I recorded tapes and gave them to my family."

Notable: Shot 147 at state, tying for sixth, and helped her team to its second straight Class 5A state championship.

About Cullen: The Penn State recruit was hampered by injuries stemming from an auto accident early in her senior year, but she won the Region I title.

What you don't know: "Some girls love high heels, but I have an obsession with Puma shoes. I have five or six pair."

Notable: Shot 146 at Class 5A state, tying for second, and finished fourth after a playoff.

About Gockel: Kansas signee is consistent on the course (four trips to regionals) and excels in the classroom (No. 24 in a class of 938.)

What you don't know: She was one of 10 girls selected to the AJGA Hewlett Packard All-America team for academics and golf.

Notable: Shot 150 at state, seventh in Class 4A.

About Phelps: Arkansas signee went from a golf beginner as a freshman to two-time state qualifier.

What you don't know: She was sports editor of the school paper for three years and a varsity cheerleader the last two years, ranked 24th in her class academically