Girls Golf: Ladies Eye Sectional Success
WARSAW – The NorthWood girls golf program has made a pair of State Finals appearances in the last three years.
The Panthers bid to make another trip South begins in earnest when sectional play commences on Saturday.
NorthWood, which won the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament title last weekend, is the favorite among the 11 teams who will take part in the Warsaw Sectional at the Stonehenge Golf Club.
The Panthers, who also notched their third straight undefeated regular season this year, return four players from last year’s postseason lineup which earned a second place finish at both the sectional and then at the East Noble Regional.
NorthWood is led by senior standout Summer Stillson. The smooth southpaw, who earned All-NLC honors for a fourth time this year, shot a round of 87 last year at Stonehenge. The Panthers shot 344 as a team a year ago to finish behind champion Wawasee (332).
The Panther lineup for coach Adam Yoder also boasts junior Madison Richner and sophomores Mackenzie Weaver and Abby Slabaugh. Richner shot an 88 in last year’s sectional, while Weaver had a 94 and Slabaugh a 108. Completing the NorthWood lineup this time around is Alaina Benjamin.
Wawasee boasts a pair of players who helped them win the sectional title in 2015. Aubrey Schmeltz had an 84 a year ago, while Madison Beaman also shot an 84 for coach Steve Coverstone’s squad.
Warsaw will look to make noise on its home course Saturday. The vastly-improved Tigers, who were fourth in the sectional last year with a 398, are led by senior standout Madi Graham. She shot 89 last year in the sectional and earned All-NLC honors last weekend for the second straight year. Page Desenberg had a 97 for Warsaw a year ago and Delaney Wihebrink shot a 111. The sectional lineup for coach Tad Nieter’s Tigers also features Izzy Ray and Madelyn Ray.
The sectional field also includes Triton, Tippecanoe Valley, Whitko, Lakeland Christian Academy, Plymouth, Rochester, Bremen and Caston.
Plymouth was third in the sectional in 2015 with a 375.
NorthWood’s Linnzie Richner was sectional medalist last year with a 75.
Action at Stonehenge on Saturday begins at 11 a.m. with the No. 1 players from NorthWood, Warsaw and Wawasee teeing off together. The final tee-time is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
The top three teams in the sectional field, along with the top three individuals from non-advancing teams, earn a spot in the East Noble Regional at Cobblestone Golf Club on Sept. 24. The regional will include qualifiers from sectionals at Warsaw, Angola, East Noble, Penn, Norwell and Huntington North.
Penn won the East Noble Regional title a year ago with a 315. NorthWood was second at 325 with Leo third at 329. Wawasee finished in fifth place with a 340.
The State Finals is Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at the Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.