GREENFIELD — New Palestine didn’t have a player at the top, but it had a lot of them close.
The consistency up and down the lineup has been a key to a successful season for the Dragons girls golf team.
On Tuesday, at Hawk’s Tail Golf Course, it led to a Hancock County girls golf tournament title, the program’s first since 2018.
The Dragons had all four of their scoring golfers in the top six to finish with a 187, 20 strokes better than defending county champion Mt. Vernon (207). Greenfield-Central was third with a 223. Eastern Hancock had only three golfers and did not record a team score.
“Any of them can shoot a score in the low 40s,” New Palestine head coach Sarah O’Brien said of her team. “It’s really nice. It’s been a different team than I’ve had before where everybody is consistent and similar in averages. It’s very competitive and they are all playing for a place in the lineup. It’s made it fun.”
O’Brien said she has seven girls vying for the five spots.
“It’s been good to see the competition and they are very supportive of each other,” the coach added.
The Dragons won consecutive county titles from 2014-18, often led by Annaliese Fox, who won four straight county and Hoosier Heritage Conference titles from 2016-19.
This year’s team has had multiple players be the low scorer.
On Tuesday, senior Zoe Nelson had that spot with a five-over-par 41, just two stroke behind county champion Sydnie Wherry of Greenfield-Central.
“It’s very different than what we’ve had in the past,” Nelson said. “When we’re all shooting in the same area, we have a better chance to win. One of our girls had a rough day and our consistency helped us win. We had good overall consistency, that’s what happened (Tuesday).”
Three of the five players that shot in the 40s, or lower, were from New Palestine. Freshman Katie Kelley was fourth overall with a 46. Katie Stanfield shot a 48 to place fifth. Just outside the top five, and an all-county spot, was Lily Kirchner, who placed sixth with a 52.
The consistency of the team helped negate a rough round from No. 2 golfer Lauren Appleby, who finished tied for seventh with a 53.
“It’s great to bring the trophy back. It’s been a few years. Greenfield-Central and Mt. Vernon have been pretty tough the last couple of years,” O’Brien said. “(Our team) has worked really hard and this was one of our goals this fall, so it feels really good.”
Wherry won with a three-over-par 39. She had six birdies and three bogeys.
A senior, she placed fourth in last year’s tournament.
“Oh my gosh, it’s incredible,” she said of winning the individual county championship. “I never thought I’d be to this point. I started playing golf my seventh-grade year and I was a double-par shooter. It was pretty much a participation ribbon at every match.”
Wherry said this is the first of three individual titles she would like to have in her senior season.
“My big goal — we all call it the trifecta — is to win county, conference and the sectional all in the same season,” she said. “I joked with my teammates, one down, two to go. I definitely hope to see more success as the season goes on.”
Mt. Vernon’s Izzy VanHeel was the other all-county golfer. She was the low Marauder with a round of 44, good enough for third place.
The second-place Marauders got a round of 53 from Natalie Miner. Kalin Wallpe and Gigi Avers each shot 55. Aubrey Trittipo finished with a 63.
For the Cougars, Ella Neill followed Wherry with a 58. Tanessa O’Neal carded a 61. Laney Elliott and Della Hedge both shot 65.
Eastern Hancock’s low golfer was Lyla Hancock with a 55. Both Emily Grant and Abby Bolding shot 63s.
