Menu
Knights finish third, Eels take eighth at girls golf sectional
As Northview’s girls golf team sat at the picnic tables underneath the pavilion to the right of Forest Park Golf Course’s clubhouse, they felt confident the scores they put up at Friday’s sectional tournament would be good enough to advance themselves onto next weekend’s regional.
But after being the last team left out in 2023, there was a bit of uncertainty.
The anxiousness that was mixed with nervousness and anticipation was lifted when the final numbers were posted. Northview (378) finished third behind Terre Haute South (318) and Terre Haute North (353) to clinch a spot at the Washington Regional, a moment the team envisioned – and even verbalized to each other – would happen after leaving last year’s sectional feeling dejected and defeated, said head coach Chris Hawk.
“We’re very excited. This is what we’ve been working for the entire season. We’ve spent a lot of time here at Forest Park working on different shots and that showed today. They definitely brought their best,” said Northview head coach Chris Hawk. “We were pretty defeated at the end of last year, especially after not making it out of the sectional. With most of them being sophomores at the time, they knew they had time to do it, but they specifically wanted to make it happen this year. So, to see them get to that goal and accomplish it, it’s pretty cool.”
Northview was led by Amber Moreland.
The junior turned in a round of 87, the seventh best score among the other 51 competitors, and did so by overcoming a rocky start to the week in dual matches against Owen Valley and Clay City, both of which were played at Forest Park.
“Amber had a great day today,” said Hawk of Moreland. “She really, really struggled early in the week but she got herself together and came out and put together a great round. I’m so proud of her.”
Behind Moreland were Mia Tribble (94), Kailee James (97), Maci Brimberry (100) and Marley Baumgartner (105), all of whom Hawk said should be proud of the way they battled on Friday, especially being paired with Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South for their respective rounds.
Clay City accomplished its goal on Friday as well.
And while it didn’t prolong the Eels’ season past the sectional, head coach Elissa Daniel was pleased with the way her group battled, noting the problems for them arose on the back nine. The six-year head coach said their lack of 18-hole tournaments, mixed with playing in the Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference championship tournament on Wednesday, hurt Clay City on the back nine when its stamina was running lower as the low-to-mid-90-degree temperatures zapped their energy levels.
“I thought the girls did pretty well. It was a respectable score,” said Daniel. “We certainly had some hits and misses out there.”
Daniel referenced Marlee Blankenship (116) and Addie Schopmeyer (112), who were playing at No. 2 and No. 3 for the Lady Eels in the sectional. The pair of seniors had strong starts to their days but dropped close to 10 strokes apiece after making the turn.
“[Blankenship] and [Schopmeyer] did really well on the first nine holes,” Daniel said. “We just really struggled on the back nine. We don’t play a lot of 18-hole tournaments. That’s not an excuse. It’s the truth. The endurance really got to us today.”
With an eighth-place finish, Clay City saw its season come to a close. It also marked the final time the Eels would be led by Daniel, who recently announced her retirement. And although she won’t be around the program moving forward, Daniel is confident that better days are on the horizon for them.
“It was a good experience for someone like Emily [Swearingen], who was playing in her first-ever sectional. This experience will help her going forward,” said Daniel. “There’s a lot of promise going into next year … and that includes girls that didn’t play in SWIAC on Wednesday or in the sectional today. They’re all coachable and want to do well, so I think they will continue to get better next year.”
Northview, meanwhile, will continue its season next weekend at the Washington Regional held at Country Oaks Golf Club. It will be the first time any of the Lady Knights, as well as Hawk, who was an assistant coach on last spring’s boys team that advanced onto the regional round of the state tournament, have gotten out of the sectional.
What will Hawk’s message be to his group entering the regional?
“I was there with the boys in the spring, so I know it’s not an easy course to play. I just want them to go out there and play the best that they can,” said Hawk. “I want them to go out there and have fun and take on the challenge because that’s what golf does, it challenges you. But at the same time, we want to have fun while taking on the challenge.”
Northview Sectional at Forest Park Golf Course results
Team scores – Terre Haute South 318, Terre Haute North 353, Northview 378, Cloverdale 409, Monrovia 411, Parke Heritage 416, South Vermillion 420, Clay City 474, South Putnam 479, North Central 523
Terre Haute South (318) – Avery Cassell 72, Gabrielle Blakeney 72, Regan Roscoe 92, Holly Clapp 82, Ella Anshutz 101
Terre Haute North (353) – Delaney Ferres 75, Allyson McDonald 84, Madison Strange 99, Kendall Nicoson 95, Ries Harmon 113
Northview (378) – Amber Moreland 87, Kailee James 97, Maci Brimberry 100, Mia Tribble 94, Marley Baumgartner 105
Cloverdale (409) – Aliyah Maldanado 121, Celeste Terrell 97, Autumn Wheeler 99, Payton Watkins 109, Aliyah Burroff 104
Monrovia (411) – Avery Wolfe 98, Kaitlyn Mattocks 106, Lillian Cox 107, Aubrey Melton 100, Lylah Wirey 112
Parke Heritage (416) – Taya Stumer 84, Madison Atkinson 108, Alex Patton 114, Lexi Mundell 110, Aubree Kieft 131
South Vermillion (420) – Grayson Brown 99, Alicia Guinn 109, Jaiden Hastings 103, Riley Myers 117, Bailey Dowdy 109
Clay City (474) – Ella James 116, Marlee Blankenship 116, Addie Schopmeyer 112, Emily Swearingen 130, Libby Zurcher 132
South Putnam (479) – Faith Wiggins 110, Isabella Fanning 128, Lydia Roderick 124, Mollie Huber 117
North Central (523) – Samantha Nickless 139, Brynley Grabbe 125, Lauren Waterman 139, Mikayla Hunter 139, Harlena Kean 120