HANCOCK COUNTY — Girls golf teed off the IHSAA fall sports season with competitions beginning this week.
In Hancock County, Mt. Vernon opened its season Monday at the Pendleton Preview, played another 18-hole tournament Tuesday at the Hamilton Southeastern Invitational and will play again today at the Tipton Invite. Greenfield-Central begins its season Thursday at Hawk’s Tail Golf Course against both Columbus East and Whiteland, while Eastern Hancock opens the same day at Wapahani.
New Palestine is the last county team to begin its season but will be doing so in one of the biggest opening-week events.
The Dragons will participate in Saturday’s State Fall Preview at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, the host of the IHSAA state finals.
The tournament is a preview of the teams that competed in last year’s state finals and includes most of the top-ranked teams in the state.
Fourteen of the Indiana High School Golf Coaches Association top 20 preseason teams will take part in the event including No. 1 Noblesville, No. 2 Westfield, No. 3 Zionsville, No. 4 Floyd Central, No. 5 Franklin Community, No. 6 Hamilton Southeastern, No. 7 Center Grove, No. 8 Carmel, No. 9 Carroll Fort Wayne, No. 11 Northridge, No. 12 (tie) Homestead, No. 12 (tie) Penn, No. 19 Bedford North Lawrence and No. 20 Jasper.
New Palestine and Chesterton are the two unranked teams competing in the event.
Here’s how the reigning state-finalist Dragons, Royals, Cougars and Marauders stack up this season.
New Palestine
Although one of just two unranked teams competing at Saturday’s State Fall Preview, the Dragons enter the season with another strong team hoping to repeat their success from last year.
Head coach Sarah O’Brien returns three members from last year’s team that placed 15th at the state finals and won county, conference and sectional titles, in senior Lily Kirchner, junior Katie Kelley along with sophomore Lauren Deering.
All three were mainstays in the Dragons lineup and were key parts of the team’s postseason run.
Kelley was the individual champion at the New Palestine Sectional, while Deering placed third in the tournament. At the regional, the trio were the team’s top three finishers with Deering firing a team-best 78, Kelley shooting an 85 and Kirchner adding a 90 to help the Dragons earn the regional’s third and final team state-qualifying spot.
They were the top three at state also, Deering placed 62nd, Kelley finished 75th and Kirchner placed 94th.
In the Hoosier Heritage Conference tournament, Kelley placed fourth, Kirchner placed fifth and Deering placed eighth.
“Our goals are the same this year as they were last year, and we feel as though we have a real chance to make it happen,” O’Brien said. “We’re really excited to get the season going.”
With three of the top five back, O’Brien has a deep team looking to replace the two open spots left by the graduation of Lauren Appleby and Hanna Beller, along with Kate Stanfield who had plenty of varsity experience.
Looking to fill those voids are senior Janie Hamilton, junior Mattie Tiede-White, and sophomores Tessa Mohr and Alyssa Beller, along with four incoming freshmen and one new junior to the roster.
“I’ve got a big team which is great,” O’Brien said. “I’m hoping they will push each other competitively as they play for positions in the lineup.”
2024 New Palestine girls golf schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 10;at State Fall Preview (Carmel);10:30 a.m.
Aug. 12;at Greenwood Community;4 p.m.
Aug. 17;at Lapel Invitational;9 a.m.
Aug. 22;vs. Lawrence Central/Southport;4 p.m.
Aug. 24;New Pal Golf Invite;1 p.m.
Aug. 26;at Franklin Central/Greenfield-Central;5 p.m.
Aug. 29;at Fishers;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 3;Hancock County;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 5;at Cathedral;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 7;at Connersville Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 10;vs. Morristown;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 11;vs. Richmond;5 p.m.
Sept. 12;vs. Shelbyville;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 14;Hoosier Heritage Conference;9 a.m.
Sept. 16;at Pendleton Heights;4 p.m.
Sept. 17;vs. Mt. Vernon;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 23;IHSAA Sectional
Eastern Hancock
While usually one of the smaller teams in the county, in 2024 the Royals have more than enough players to fill the roster.
Led by head coach Dustin Eck, Eastern Hancock returns two of the four golfers from last year’s team, but a strong middle school program and the use of Royal Hylands Golf Club as the team’s home course has the high school roster filled with newcomers.
Gracie Deiser, Avery Mann and Aubrey Whittington all join the team as freshmen having played on the Eastern Hancock Middle School team, along with another freshman, Alli Meyers.
“Our middle school program has been a game changer as far as getting girls interested in the sport earlier,” Eck said. “Royal Hylands has been a great partner too, offering instruction throughout the summer.”
Along with those four, three juniors — Mya Gardner, Savannah Hardy and Hayden Lambert — are newcomers to the team.
They’ll join returnees junior Lyla Hancock and sophomore Loretta Wallace and will help make up for the graduation of Emily Grant and Emily Hodges.
“We are going to be young and pretty inexperienced, but all of the girls have put time in this offseason and are excited to get going,” Eck said. “I’m looking forward to seeing them continue to improve and am excited to see where they will take us the next few years.”
2024 Eastern Hancock girls golf schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 8;at Wapahani;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 12;at Union County/Monroe-Central;5 p.m.
Aug. 13;at North Decatur/Union/4:30 p.m.
Aug. 15;vs. Mt. Vernon;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 22;at Southwestern/Triton Central;5 p.m.
Aug. 26;at Shenandoah/Knightstown;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 27;vs. Wes-Del;5 p.m.
Aug. 29;at Northeastern;5 p.m.
Aug. 31;at Mid-Eastern Conference;1 p.m.
Sept. 3;Hancock County;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 5;at Cambridge City Lincoln;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 10;at Tri;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 12;at Morristown;5 p.m.
Sept. 17;at Randolph Southern;5 p.m.
Sept. 19;vs. Connersville;5 p.m.
Sept. 23;IHSAA Sectional
Greenfield-Central
The Cougars come into the season with their third different head coach in three years.
Led by former New Palestine and IUPUI standout Annaliese Fox, Greenfield-Central is looking to improve upon last season where they finished sixth at the sectional, seventh at conference and third at the county tournament.
The Cougars return three of their five varsity players from last year in a trio of seniors —Tanessa O’Neal, Kynsey Hasty and Della Hedge.
“The girls that I have seen play and hit balls are the three seniors. I can see them all being big parts of our team,” Fox said. “They have each been so motivated to start practice and have been asking me for advice on their game.”
The Cougars will be looking to replace their other two varsity members from last season, Regan Breese and Ella Neill.
Neill competed at last year’s regional after qualifying as an individual with a sectional round of 98.
“I’m looking forward to leading the girls on the right path when it comes to the game of golf,” Fox said. “Our goals this year are to win some more matches, but also be able to have fun and let the players be themselves.”
2024 Greenfield-Central girls golf schedule
Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 8;vs. Columbus East/Whiteland
Aug. 12;vs. Rushville;5 p.m.
Aug. 15;vs. Connersville;5 p.m.
Aug. 17;at Lapel Invitational;9 a.m.
Aug. 19;vs. Beech Grove;5 p.m.
Aug. 21;vs. New Castle/Shenandoah;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 24;at New Pal Invite;1 p.m.
Aug. 26;at Franklin Central/New Palestine;5 p.m.
Aug. 28;at Lawrence North;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 3;Hancock County;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 11;vs. Pendleton Heights;5 p.m.
Sept. 14;Hoosier Heritage Conference;9 a.m.
Sept. 16;at Mt. Vernon/Warren Central
Sept. 19;at Shenandoah/Shelbyville;5:30 p.m.
Sept. 23;IHSAA Sectional
Mt. Vernon
The Marauders come into the 2024 season full of experience on the varsity roster.
All five players from last year’s sectional and regional lineup are back with the team, led by the reigning Hancock County player of the year Izzy VanHeel.
VanHeel, a senior, won the county tournament, had the best finish of any county golfer at the HHC tournament with a career-best round of 80 to place third, and finished in a three-way tie for second place at the New Palestine Sectional. At the regional, she had the second-best score of county golfers with an 83.
Along with her, the Marauders – who placed second to New Palestine at the county, conference and sectional tournaments – return seniors Gigi Avers, Aerin Hubbell, Natalie Miner and junior Kylie Hyde.
Miner and Hyde tied for the team’s second-best regional score with a 96 and shot 95 and 97, respectively, at the sectional. Avers tied Miner with a 95 at the sectional.
Hubbell opened her season Monday at the Pendleton Preview with a round of 93, while the other four were scheduled to compete in the Hamilton Southeastern Invite on Tuesday.
Including those five, head Coach Mike Miner believes the team is eight deep when it comes to competing for varsity spots.
“The goals are always to get better every day and represent the team, the school and the community with honor. If we control our attitude, our actions, and our reactions when things go wrong, and if we put in the effort on the course, the scores will take care of themselves,” coach Miner said. “We have goals of winning county, conference and sectional, but if we don’t do the small things that matter in life, winning doesn’t mean much.”
2024 Mt. Vernon girls golf schedule
Date;Opponent;Time/Result
Aug. 5;at The Pendleton Preview;6th (412) of 8 teams
Aug. 6;at HSE Invitational;6th (368) of 11 teams
Aug. 7;at Tipton Invite;1:30 p.m.
Aug. 13;at Lawrence Central/Beech Grove;5 p.m.
Aug. 15;at Eastern Hancock;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 17;at Lapel Invitational;9 a.m.
Aug. 20;at Shelbyville/Rushville; 5 p.m.
Aug. 21;at Shenandoah/Delta;5 p.m.
Aug. 24;at New Pal Invite;1 p.m.
Aug. 24;at Trojan Classic; 1p.m.
Aug. 28;at Covenant Christian;4:30 p.m.
Aug. 29;vs. Pendleton Heights;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 3;Hancock County;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 7;at Connersville Invitational;9 a.m.
Sept. 10;at Guerin Catholic/Hamilton Heights;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 11;at Delta/Muncie Central;5 p.m.
Sept. 12;vs. Lapel/Yorktown;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 14;Hoosier Heritage Conference;9 a.m.
Sept. 16;at Warren Central/Greenfield-Central;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 17;at New Palestine;4:30 p.m.
Sept. 23;IHSAA Sectional
