The Greensburg girls golf team members, from left to right, Ella Westhafer, Hillary Miller, Brianna Scheidler, Sara Treash and Stephanie
Wenning, display the team's sectional championship trophy Saturday afternoon. Not pictured is senior golfer Kasey Kilgore.
Nick Gonnella / Greensburg Daily News
Greensburg Linksters Capture Sectional Crown Saturday
Nick Gonnella
Greensburg Daily News
Greensburg — September 19, 2009
The Greensburg girls golf team notched another link in its quest to achieve state dreams, claiming the sectional tournament title Saturday at the Greensburg Country Club.
The Lady Pirates shot a 361 on the day, edging runner-up South Ripley (375) by 14 strokes. Jac-Cen-Del (412) rounded out the trio of teams advancing to the regional.
Greensburg senior Brianna Scheidler led all golfers with a 75 on the 18-hole course to become the sectional meet medalist. She matched her 18-hole season average only by making par on two more holes on the back nine (six) than she did on the front.
The tournament’s runner-up finisher was Lakin Davis of South Ripley, shooting a 77.
Scheidler’s classmate, Hillary Miller, scored third overall with an 85.
Miller, who improved her game over the course of the season, said this will be her third year competing in the regional tournament.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way,” she said. “I’m really happy I came in third. I’m excited.”
Miller finished only one stroke off her season average.
Finishing third for Greensburg was senior Kasey Kilgore, shooting a 47 on the front and 52 on the back for a 99.
Senior Stephanie Wenning, golfing in her first full year for Greensburg, shot a 55 on the front. She elevated her game and came back with a 47, totaling 102.
Sophomore Sara Treash shot a 52 on the front and a 53 on the back for a 105.
“The person I felt adjusted so well was Stephanie Wenning on the back nine,” said Hamilton. “She’s just been steadily putting it all together. By regionals, she’ll have put it all together. She’s getting so close.”
Scheidler said Greensburg did not do as well as it could have, but she was still glad it won the sectional.
“Next weekend is when it really counts,” she said. She acknowledged the challenge Greensburg faces next week.
“I think we can do it, but it won’t be easy,” she said. “The competition is going to be very tough.”
Hamilton could not explain why the Pirates did not bring their top game with them Saturday.
“We didn’t play our best, and I’m really not sure why,” said Hamilton. “I think they needed to feel more pressure.”
On the other hand, she said the sectional round might have put more pressure on the girls because they prepared so hard for it.
She said Greensburg is well aware of what it will take to reach its ultimate goal.
“We know we have to shoot lights out to advance to state,” she said.
The members of the Greensburg girls golf team, from left to right, Ella Westhafer, Stephanie Wenning, Hillary Miller, Sara Treash and
Brianna Scheidler, hoist head coach Phyllis Hamilton over the trophy they won Saturday for winning the girls golf Greensburg Sectional
title. Not pictured is senior golfer Kasey Kilgore.
Nick Gonnella / Greensburg Daily News
North Decatur junior Tara Lecher was the top individual golfer on a team that did not advance. Lecher shot an 89 to make her first career regional appearance. She shot 47 on the front nine and improved on the back nine with a 42.
Lecher said she did not think she would do as well as she actually did.
“I’m surprised with what I came out with,” she said. “I’m excited about my first regional, and nervous at the same time.”
North Decatur finished fifth overall with a 418, missing a regional berth by six strokes. The Chargers’ Abby Stewart fell nine strokes short of advancing as an individual. The highlight of Stewart’s outing was a drive off the tee on hole No. 17 that landed onto the green; she made par in three strokes, which helped her finish the back nine one stroke better than her front score of 50.
Also competing for North, Amethyst Simmonds shot a 53 on the front and a 54 on the back (107 total). Amanda Lawlis, the lone senior Charger, notched a 64 on front and 59 on the back (123). Allie Acton shot a 67 on the front and 65 on the back (132).
South Decatur as a team shot 475 to finish 10th overall.
The Cougars’ No. 1 golfer, Courtney Apperson, shot a 99, including a 47 on the front. Courtney Dickson carded a 52 on the front, and 105 overall. Sarah Horan recorded a 119 on the day, and Danielle Wenning carded a 152.
The regional tournament will take place in Indianapolis Saturday at Smock Golf Course.
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