BEDFORD
It was a tough day on the course for all the golfers during Saturday’s sectional meet at Otis Park Golf Course in Bedford hampering some would-be great scores.
However, at this point in the season, it’s all about surviving and advancing.
And that’s just what the Seymour girls golf team did, finishing runner-up at the meet with a 403 to advance to next Saturday’s regional at Country Oaks Golf Course in Montgomery.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallerySeymour coach Jim Hoffman said it was a difficult day for his team, especially on the back nine when the sun decided to show up to bake the competitors.
“The greens were giving us trouble and they were playing hard,” he said. “You’d hit a ball, it’d bounce and you didn’t know which way it’d go. I think you could tell everyone was struggling with it.”
Bridget Marshall led the Owls with an 88 that was good enough for fourth-best on the day. Laken Waskom carded a 93 while Lainey Jackson shot a 104. Phoebe Skidmore and Peyton Levine rounded out the Owl scoring with a 118 and 125, respectively.
Hoffman has spoken a lot about the potential of his team throughout the year and was expecting his players to combine for a score in the 360 to 370 range. Even though they didn’t get the score they wanted or achieve their goal of winning the sectional, he’s pleased they’ll get another chance to compete.
“Our first goal was to win, but our other goal was to advance and we did,” Hoffman said. “We’re going to have clean a lot of stuff up, but at least we get to compete again and try again.”
For Brownstown Central, coach Brandon Allman stated after the Mid-Southern Conference meet his girls would need to combine for at least 405 if they wanted to advance out of the sectional.
Unfortunately, for the Braves, they came up just a little short, finishing with a 425 and missing the cut by 16 strokes to Springs Valley. Still, the Braves’ Ashlyn Fox will move on to Montgomery with the hopes of qualifying for the state finals. She shot a 100, which Allman called one of her best rounds for the season, as the top individual advancing without a team.
Sophomore Payton Ault came close to joining her at Country Oaks but came up just a little short in the playoff. She finished her day with a 105.
Ault has slowly improved and worked her way through the lineup for Brownstown Central, moving from the No. 4 golfer on the varsity team to No. 2 on the sectional squad.
Allman said he was very impressed with her attitude, saying he would have been hard pressed to be as upbeat as she was after missing the cut.
“I’m extremely proud of her,” Allman said. “If I lost a playoff, I’m going to be upset with my head down and mad at myself. She is all smiles and she is just a special girl.”
Rounding out the scores for Brownstown Central, Lexie Satterthwaite had a 109, Hannah Hackman shot a 111 and Ashley Schroer carded a 118.
Though the season ended prematurely, Allman had nothing but good things to say about his girls.
“I keep reminding myself these girls have only played golf for two years, except for Ashlyn,” Allman said. “The improvements we’ve made … and I’m glad they’re out here playing and letting me coach them up.”
Bedford North Lawrence took home the sectional crown with a 356 with the Stars’ Addyson Bailey shooting an 81 to win the sectional medalist honor. Paoli (429) and Salem (508) round out the team scoring.
The regional at Country Oaks is set to begin this Saturday at 9 a.m. with tee times to be announced at a later date.