Logan golfers place 3rd at sectional to advance

Sep. 20—MONTICELLO — The mood was somber for the Logansport girls golf team following play at the Twin Lakes Sectional Monday at Tippecanoe Country Club.

The Berries advanced to the regional as a team but they fell short of their ultimate goal of the season, and that was repeat as sectional champs.

Logansport shot a 366 to place third and easily advance. But the goal was to earn a repeat sectional championship for the first time since the Berries three-peated from 1990-92.

Kankakee Valley won the sectional title with a 357. Rochester was runner-up with a 364.

"I think nervous-wise probably got us a little bit," Logansport coach Abby Lundy said. "We knew going in it'd be close with us, KV and Rochester. Just nerves I think really played a big part into it unfortunately. Course-wise it was set up tough, the rough was tough."

Reiss Weaver led the Berries with an 87 to place fourth overall. She was followed by Chloe Crook (90), Myleigh Moon (94), Sophia Kay (95) and Kendra Sutton (98).

There were a lot of tears falling from the Berry golfers when they learned they placed third.

"The end goal was to win this," Lundy said. "That's what you work for the last four years. We had high hopes and goals and this one was of those is to get a sectional title. That's what you work for the last seven weeks."

The Berries' hard work led to an historic season. They earned a spot in the state top 20 poll for the first time since 1992. They won the North Central Conference championship for the third time ever and first time since they went back-to-back in 1979 and 1980. They were all members of last year's team that won the program's first sectional title since 1992 and 14th all-time.

But they didn't play their best golf on Monday. They shot a 351 to win the Twin Lakes Invitational earlier this season on Aug. 6. They won last year's sectional title with a season-best 364.

The Berries have a chance to advance past the Lake Central Regional Saturday at Sandy Pines Golf Course Golf Club, but it won't be easy. There are five sectionals that feed into the regional: Valparaiso, Lake Central, LaPorte, Penn and Twin Lakes. Only the top three teams and top two individuals on non-advancing teams advance to the State Finals. The Berries tee off at 9:30 a.m. EST Saturday.

"We went up to Sandy Pines a couple weeks ago to play and it's a tough course, doable though," Lundy said. "Definitely doable to get out of. Top three teams and then two low individuals. It is Kankakee Valley's home course though, so that'll be interesting to see how that shakes down."

Winamac senior Bianca Huizar continued her standout season by shooting an 89 to advance as an individual. North Newton's Madelyn Arrenholz (89) and Rensselaer's Carly Drone (92) also advanced.

"Bianca has been playing awesome all year long," Winamac coach Scott Roudebush said. "We've been excited for her. She's the HNAC Player of the Year. We knew if she'd just play golf like she knew how to she was going to get out. We're excited, a little nervous down the stretch to see what was going to happen."

Following the top three teams of KV, Rochester and Logan were Twin Lakes (384), Rensselaer (385), Pioneer (401), Winamac (425), North Newton (437), Tri-County (455), DeMotte Christian (483), Caston (Inc.) and South Newton (Inc.).

Kankakee Valley junior Brynlee DeBoard, a state finalist a year ago, shot a 6-over 78 to repeat as the sectional medalist. Rochester's Olivia Bailey (84) and Payton Moore (86) placed second and third, respectively.

Ashlynn Brooke led Pioneer with a 96, followed by Mia McKaig (100), Emilie Schmaltz (101), Meisha Price (104) and Kortnee Kline (126).

Following Huizar for Winamac were Olivia Link (98), Maggie Smith (115), Sierra Haschel (123) and Grace Wenzler (138).

"In the big picture of things I didn't tell the kids this, we didn't have much of a chance with all the other teams that are just too many strokes ahead of us," Roudebush said. "But we'll use this as an experience, we're young, we've only got one senior. So we're excited about coming back next year and we'll have a strong team I think next year."

Winamac won its third HNAC title in a row this year and sixth conference title in the last eight years.

"You know who played well was Pioneer, 401," Roudebush said. "I was just telling all the girls good thing we beat them at the conference last week."

Shaylee Strasser led Caston with a 136, followed by Jullina Sherrick (138) and Anselma Ramirez (138).

"The sectional wraps up the 2022 golf season for the Lady Comet linksters," Caston coach Rick Phelps said. "There were not as many victories as we would have liked, but because Caston had not fielded ladies golf for a few years this season was really about getting out on the course and playing. We had three young ladies who participated all season; golf is a frustrating sport, but the three ladies hung in there, worked hard to improve their game, and finished the season still smiling. Just like any sport, players get better in the offseason, so I look forward to the ladies really working on their game and next fall show that improvement to their competitors. The ladies and I would like thank the Caston administrative staff for their support this season and look forward to the 2023 Caston ladies golf season."

WESTERN SECTIONAL

Cass placed eighth with a 461 Friday at Chippendale Golf Course.

Kendall Hlebasko and Savy Bowser each shot 99 to lead the Kings. Lindsay Landis had a 130 and Alisha Toops had a 133.

Maconaquah won its first-ever sectional title in girls golf with a 348. Perennial sectional power Western was second with 370 and Northwestern was third with 384. The top three teams advanced to the Lafayette Jeff Regional on Sept. 24 at Battle Ground G.C.

Western came into the sectional with the best player — and junior Elizabeth Mercer delivered for the Panthers by firing a five-under 68 to win medalist for the third straight year. Maconaquah No. 1 Daisy Williams was the runner-up with an 80.

Maconaquah outshot Western at the other spots to more than make up that 12-shot difference. Miranda Stoll tied for third overall with an 81, Courtney Stoll shot 90 and Finley Dobbs had a 97 for Mac's fourth score. Also for the Braves, Lehna Wagner had a 98.

Maconaquah ended Howard County's 22-year sectional reign. Western won 15 titles during that span, including the last three before this year, and Kokomo and Northwestern combined to win seven titles.