They’ll kick themselves for a little while. They’ll rehash those three-puts that could’ve been two’s, or curse those puts that just lipped out, or fret that wayward drive that led to a six or a seven, or lament not staying mentally strong that one hole, buckling down to save one stroke. They’ll spite that one hole at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker, cup on a ridge, sucking stroke after stroke. In the end, the defending state champion Fillmore Central girl’s golf team was oh-so-close to repeating. In a game that famously features the word ‘fore’, had each of FC’s top four golfers cut by just one stroke, they’d have tied for a state title. Had they cut by two, Fillmore Central would’ve secured their second straight Class A golf title. After Day One, the Falcons (348) trailed Springfield (341) by seven strokes for first place. Callie Wersal had the Tigers on top by posting a 74 to lead the entire field. B.O.L.D. (357) sat in third place. FC concentrated on keeping their score under 700 for the 36-hole tourney. They were consistent, putting up a Day Two 349, just a stroke more than Day One. FC got to its mark, under 700. They finished five strokes back of last year’s state title winning score of 692 (which won by 32 strokes). Wersal couldn’t carry Springfield alone. The Falcons usurped Springfield on the leaderboard. But third place B.O.L.D. (Bird Island Olivia Lake Lillian District) played that way. After just one sub-90 number from their four scoring golfers the first day, all four went sub-86 Day Two. They played 19 strokes better (336). The Warriors notched a 693 to basically steal the 2017 Class A girl’s golf state title over FC (697) and Springfield (701). B.O.L.D. placed their top four, Ashley Trongard (41, 43, 40, 41 > 165 > tied for 6th), Madison VanderHagen (47, 43, 43, 41 > 174 > tied for 13th), Whitney Trongard (41, 49, 43, 43 > 176 > tied for 17th), and Makayla Snow (46, 47, 39, 46 > 178 > tied for 21st) all in the top twenty-one. Getting a 39, the team’s lowest 9-hole score, from their fourth golfer (Snow), was key. Fourth-year state veterans Grace Miller (167) and Madison Scheevel (168) paced the Falcons. Miller (42, 42, 40, 43) was consistent in tying for 8th overall. The junior took eighth last year (165), tied for sixth two years ago (166), and tied for 20th in 2014 (184). Scheevel (39, 45, 39, 45) had FC’s two lowest 9-hole scores and took tenth overall. The sophomore took seventh last year (165) and tied for 15th in 2016 (175). The duo has been FC’s top two golfers at each of the last three state meets. They have one more year left together. Tayah Barnes (47, 44, 42, 47) started Day Two with her best 9-hole round. She finished with a 180 (24th place of 84). The senior notched a 184 a season ago (28th place). Cailey Rindels did the most improving. The junior was FC’s fifth (non-scoring) golfer last year (190 > tied for 38th place). She sliced eight strokes off her pace to finish just behind Barnes with a 182 (45, 44, 46, 47), tying for 25th place. Rindels was 20 strokes better than at the Section 1A Meet. All four scoring Falcon golfers finished in the top 25, a first in their four-year state run. Taylor Bushman (57, 55, 54, 56 > 222) and Elayna Kiehne (59, 58, 61, 53 > 231) rounded out the squad. Another trophy-laden season ends for FC, headed by coaches Aaron Mensink and Andy Todd. Like the previous three, they’ll lose one senior scoring golfer in Barnes. Kiehne, a multi-year varsity competitor, also graduates. A spot is again open. BOLD took third last year (728), fourth in 2015 (711), and second in 2014 (732). Springfield’s Wersal (155) won the meet over Minneota’s Heidi Guttormson, Legacy Christian’s Sophie Gray, and Park Christian’s Emily Doeden (160’s). Four seniors finished in the top seven. The meet was held at the 18-hole par-72 Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker, Minnesota.
About Paul Trende
Sports Reporter
sports@fillmorecountyjournal.com