ANDERSON — To get back to the state finals for the second consecutive year, New Palestine had to deal with the weather, two of the top-ranked teams in the state, and some tough competition from both Lapel and Mt. Vernon.
They overcame it all on a rain-soaked Edgewood Golf Course on Saturday, placing third to secure the final team qualifying spot in the upcoming IHSAA Girls Golf State Finals.
Advancing out of the Lapel Regional were the same three teams as last season. Noblesville won the event with a score of 294, Hamilton Southeastern was runner-up with a score of 302 and the Dragons took third with 334, beating out Lapel (343) and Mt. Vernon (348).
“This was definitely our goal from day one. It’s not all the same players from last year, but we knew we still had the potential to get back there,” New Palestine head coach Sarah O’Brien said. “They feel really good about what they did, and we’re just really happy to get back.”
With steady rain all day, lift, clean and place rules were in effect, helping the Dragons shoot 11 strokes better than they did on the course at last year’s regional.
“It was hard to know what to expect. We knew the conditions would be wet, but at the same time, we played lift, clean and place which is the ideal conditions. You can pick the ball up, clean mud off of it and give yourself the best lie possible. That worked in everyone’s favor,” O’Brien said. “I don’t think the weather affected them as much as I thought it would. It was a steady drizzle, and we came equipped with umbrellas and lots of towels. The girls did a great job.”
The Dragons, who teed off in the final groupings, were some of the final players to post their scores, leaving O’Brien and New Pal fans on edge over the final few holes.
With No. 2 Noblesville and No. 5 Hamilton Southeastern expected to take two of the three qualifying spots, third place was a battle between the Dragons, Bulldogs and Marauders.
Mt. Vernon was the first of the three in the clubhouse with a season-best 348, and for a while, that score stood atop the leaderboard.
Later in the day, and with the Dragons still on the course, the Bulldogs set the new target score for third place at 343.
“I was looking at my phone and saw that Mt. Vernon was done before us and had posted a really good score. I got really nervous really fast because some of what I was watching, I just wasn’t super confident. I knew Lauren [Deering] was playing well and I knew Katie [Kelley] was playing well, but I just wasn’t sure,” O’Brien said. “I came in when our first player did and then I saw that Lapel had shot even lower than Mt. Vernon and at that point, it’s just a lot of quick math in my head.”
It wasn’t until one of the best shots of the day, by the Dragons No. 3 player Lily Kirchner, that the nerves were settled.
On the Par 5 18th hole, Kirchner’s second shot landed just short of the green and rolled to a stop just inches from the cup for a tap-in eagle to cap off a back nine in which Kirchner improved by five shots.
After a 45 through the first nine holes, Kirchner turned things around with a 40 on the back to end the day with an 85.
“I just had to wait, because I really didn’t know. I don’t like to bug the players when they’re out there about their score. I don’t want them to be tuned into that,” O’Brien said. “I watched Lily get that eagle on the 18th hole and once I found out her score, I started to feel really good. That took the nerves away because I knew Lauren was having a really good round and that Katie was playing well too. Once I saw Lily’s score, I knew it was possible.”
Playing in the No. 1 spot for the Dragons, Deering, a sophomore, played like a true No. 1.
A birdie on No. 2 kickstarted her round in which she tied for fifth overall with a four-over-par 74.
While it was Deering in the top spot on Saturday, the key for the Dragons all season, and the reason they’re heading back to state, is that they have multiple players that can be a No. 1 on any given day.
Kirchner in the No. 3 spot has shown that ability, as has junior Katie Kelley who was the Dragons No. 2 on Saturday.
Kelley fired a 38 on the front and capped off a 41 on the back with a birdie on the 18th hole to end her day with a 79.
All three were members on last year’s state finals team.
“All three of them have been solid every time out. They’ve each had their own championship, and they’re just all super supportive of each other,” O’Brien said. “It’s a huge benefit to have for the whole team.”
Janie Hamilton rounded out the New Palestine scoring with a 96 and Matti Tiede-White shot a 100.
Mt. Vernon was led by Izzy VanHeel’s 82 and Kylie Hyde’s 84. Marissa Miner shot a 90, Natalie Miner shot a 92 and Gigi Avers shot a 96.
Greenfield-Central’s lone golfer, Tanessa O’Neal finished with a 96.
The two-day state final tournament begins Friday at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.
