ANDERSON — After missing the IHSAA Girls Golf State Finals by four strokes last year and getting off to a slow start at Saturday’s Lapel Regional at The Edge Golf Course, New Palestine head coach Sarah O’Brien was a little worried her Dragon team might miss another great opportunity to play in the final tournament of the year.
New Palestine shot 180 on the front nine. That same score on the back wouldn’t have been good enough.
Admittedly worried, O’Brien also knew her team was more than capable of turning it around.
And that’s exactly what they did.
New Palestine shot 165 for a season-best 345. It was plenty good enough for the third and final qualifying spot into the state finals Friday and Saturday at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.
It’s the first time the entire team has qualified since 2014. As an individual, Annaliese Fox, now playing at IUPUI, was the last Dragon to make it to state. She made it three straight years with the last being in 2019.
“It was a very tough day,” O’Brien said. “They’ve done this a couple of times where they did not play particularly well on the front and then they turn on the after-burners and they shot 165 on the back. I was not feeling great after nine holes. I knew they could do it and they just played great on the back nine.”
The Dragons had scored 347 three times during the season and shot 357 to win last week’s New Palestine Sectional.
Hamilton Southeastern and Noblesville took the top two spots by scoring 313 and 314, respectively.
New Palestine’s 345 was 12 strokes better than fourth-place Union County and 13 better than Richmond.
Mt. Vernon, the only other full team from Hancock County in the tournament, shot 379 and placed eighth of 15 teams.
“We got third by 12 strokes. I love that,” New Palestine’s No. 1 player Katie Kelley said. “It was kind of funny, I was coming in (as the final player off the course) and (my teammates) asked if I beat the Richmond girl, I thought, is it that close? It was nice. I am really, really excited. I wanted to go to state last year, so going to state this year is amazing. We had expectations to go and I’m so glad we were able to make it.”
Kelley, a sophomore, was one of a number of New Palestine players to turn it around on the final nine holes. She shot an 85, second low score on the team. She finished with a 39 on the back after recording a 46 on the front.
“It was rough. It was really rough,” Kelley said of the front.
“The back was definitely our friend (more) than the front,” freshman No. 2 player Lauren Deering said.
Deering had New Pal’s best round with a 78. She had a 40 on the front and 38 on the back.
She had a dramatic 18th hole, too, and had some good fortune to keep her round in the 70s.
Her approach shot went in a gravel drive right in front of the parking lot. She was able to have a free drop above the green, but her short chip left her another chip shot instead of a putt. Her second chip not only got on the green it went in the hole for a par 5 on what could have been a disastrous hole.
“It was very nerve-racking for me at the end hole,” Deering said. “Everyone (in the gallery) was there watching and I’ve never had that happen before. Of course, I picked the wrong club as my approach shot and almost got it in the parking lot. Thankfully it wasn’t in the parking lot and I was able to get a free drop. I chunked it and had the same shot but just a little closer. I felt good about it and I made it. I was so excited, I pointed my finger (at the hole).
“It means a lot (after missing state last year) and makes me feel better that I helped the team out by a little bit at least. It’s nice.”
Lily Kirchner finished with a 90. Hanna Beller shot 92 and Lauren Appleby carded a 99.
Kirchner was another that really turned it around on the back. She shot 49 on the front and 41 to finish the round.
“Lily started with a birdie on No. 10, she made a 9 on No. 11 and then birdie’s No. 12 and shot 41 on the back. Hats off to her for sticking through it after a 9 on a Par 5,” O’Brien said.
Mt. Vernon’s low golfer was Izzy VanHeel with an 83. Both Natalie Miner and Kylie Hyde shot 96s. The final team-scoring golfer was Gillian Avers with a 104.
Greenfield-Central’s Ella Neill shot a 98.
HSE’s Janelle Garcia was individual champion with a 70.
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2023 Lapel Girls Golf Regional
Team scores: Hamilton Southeastern 313, Noblesville 314, New Palestine 345, Union County 357, Richmond 358, Cathedral 366, Delta 376, Mt. Vernon 379, Centerville 383, Heritage Christian 387, Hamilton Heights 406, Rushville 409, Wapahani 414, Yorktown 443.
Top 5 individuals: Janelle Garcia, Hamilton Southeastern, 70; Allison Seitz, Lawrence Central, 72; Kayleigh Agugliaro, Yorktown, 73, Peityn Gillman, Union County, 74, Kennedy Lancaster, Tipton 75.
New Palestine (345): Katie Kelley 85, Lauren Deering 78, Lauren Appelby 99, Lily Kirchner 90, Hanna Beller 92.
Mt. Vernon (379): Izzy VanHeel 83, Natalie Miner 96, Kylie Hyde 96, Aerin Hubbell 122, Gillian Avers 104.
Greenfield-Central (no team score): Ella Neill 98.
