Pisgah golf places top five in three matches

Sep. 30—Pisgah girls golf team is an inexperienced bunch, but is quickly gaining experience with three matches over seven days this past week. The Lady Bears finish fourth in all three tournaments among larger and more experienced teams.

Scores for the girls on the team are getting lower as they gain experience.

"My athletes and I were talking after the [Sprindgale] match Sept. 27. We were only four strokes behind North Henderson and only eight strokes behind Tuscola. When the season started, we were 20 strokes behind most teams. That speaks well for our growth and development," said Pisgah head coach Taylor Clark.

Clark had high praise for Savannah Ivester.

"Savannah had never picked up a golf club prior to the first day of practice this year," she said. "In our first match, Savannah shot a 69 and maxed out on every hole except one. In the past few matches, she has scored as our No. 2 player. She's about 15 strokes better now. She's working very hard."

Clark said Pisgah's No. 1 player, Aloah Cox, is primed for a good score in conference play.

"I feel that Aloah can post a very low score. We're battling through a new putter for Aloah and a few technical changes for her. It's hilarious to see her putt with the new one; it's got this big fat grip on it. The grip is bigger than her tiny little hands," Clark said.

Bears finish fourth at Sequoyah

Pisgah girls golf team played in a five-school tournament Sept. 20, at Sequoyah National Golf Course in in Cherokee.

Cherokee, Smoky Mountain, North Henderson and Tri-County also competed.

The Lady Bears finished fourth in the five-team field with a score of 167 points. Cherokee won the event with a score of 154, Smoky Mountain took second place (156), North Henderson third (159) and Tri-County finished fifth (187).

The girls shot ascending scores: Cox (55), Kenzie Mathis (56), Valentina Miquez (57), Samantha Ivester (60) and Savannah Ivester (61).

Pisgah head coach Taylor Clark liked what see saw.

"Our ladies are confident when they step behind the ball to hit their next shot," she said. "Collectively, we're making solid contact with the ball and watching scores go down."

Fourth at Cummings

Pisgah then played on the road Sept. 22, at Cummings Cove Golf and Country Club in Hendersonville.

The girls really showed improvement at Cummings Cove, with another fourth-place finish.

Cox was the top Lady Bear golfer with a 53. Last time she played at Cummings Cove, Cox shot a 54, Clark said.

Savannah Ivester shot a 56, a 14-stroke improvement over her previous score at the course, Clark said.

Miquez shot a 58, 10-strokes better than her last game at Cummings Cove.

Mathis (59) and Kinley Hollingsed (65) finished up scoring for the Bears.

The big news for the Mountaineers is McKenna Williams. She continued her dominance with two more medalist honors this week.

A third-straight fourth-place finish

Pisgah's squad competed in a six-team tournament Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Springdale Country Club in Canton.

Tuscola, Smoky Mountain, North Henderson, Erwin and Brevard battled the Lady Bears for top honors.

Pisgah finished fourth for the third time this week with a score of 171 (total of top three golf scores).

Smoky Mountain took first place honors with a team score of 151, followed by Tuscola (163), North Henderson (167), Erwin (175) and Brevard (186).

Pisgah's Savannah Ivester, who shot a 57 for sixth pace, was recognized as one of two Players of the Match (along with Tuscola's McKenna Williams) by sports authority website MaxPreps. It was the second-consecutive honor for Ivester.

Cox was Pisgah's top performer, placing fourth with a 55. Olivia Merrell shot a 59 for seventh place and Kensie Mathis took ninth with a 63.