Stoney Creek defends regional golf championship
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP — Rochester Stoney Creek spent most of last season ranked No. 1 in the state before finishing second to Saline by three strokes at the Division 1 finals. The Cougars now have a shot at redemption.
Stoney Creek, which has been ranked No. 1 or No. 2 all season, is headed back due to its play-five, count-four regional championship score of 319 Thursday at the Division 1 Twin Lakes girls golf regional.
Stoney Creek, which actually finished second at Monday’s OAA Red Division Tournament No. 2 to sixth-ranked Troy, posted its best team score of the season and one of the lowest of any D-1 school all season.
“It’s been consistent,” admitted first-year Stoney Creek coach Tony Lafferty. “The entire season they keep getting a little bit better. I am just really proud of them. They played great today. A score of 319 is impressive. Hopefully, we are peaking at the right time.”
Utica, ranked fourth, finished second at 331 to qualify as a team for a first time. The Chieftains also become the first public school from Macomb County to make the state finals cut.
Unranked Rochester Adams came out of nowhere to finish third overall and grab the other team qualifying spot, shooting a season-low 359. The top three teams, plus the top three individuals not on qualifying teams, advance to the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals Oct.14-15 at Grand Valley State University’s Meadows Golf Course.
PRE-MEDITATED: Rochester Stoney Creek's Gabby Yurik patiently sizes up the green. Yurik and the Cougars defended their regional crown Thursday with a season-low 319 team score at Twin Lakes Golf Club. File Photo
“This is the first time in school history and for what I know we’re the first (public) school from Macomb County to make it to the state finals,” smiled first-year Utica coach Anthony Adamo. “Taylor Clark has made it as an individual the past couple of years. Now, we are going as a team.”
Adams has become the Cinderella team of the D-1 tournament. The Highlanders shot a season-best by 10 strokes and shot 41 strokes better than Monday’s OAA-Red league tournament.
This is Adams’ first state berth since 2007 and only the second state berth since 1999.
“I am dumbfounded,” admitted first-year Adams coach Dave Tulppo. “I didn’t see this happening. We shot 400 at our league tournament the other day and we’ve never shot in the 350s all season. We’ve had a lot of scores in the 370s and 380s. The girls have worked so hard and had their best day of the season by far. I’m proud of them.”
Rochester, ranked 10th, was the first team left on the outside looking in, as the Falcons finished fourth at 365. Rochester had its streak of consecutive state finals appearances snapped at 12 and will miss the state finals for the first time since the spring 1999 season.
Port Huron Northern was fifth at 385, while Lake Orion (392), Romeo (398), Utica Eisenhower (409), Utica Ford (413) and Macomb L’Anse Creuse North (424) rounded out the top 10 team scores in the 15-school field.
Individually, Lake Orion’s Stacy Lecznar shot an 87, while Rochester’s Hailey Bailey (87) and Amanda Graham (88) to also made the cut as individuals.
Stoney Creek’s Gabby Yurik defended her individual regional title, carding an even-par 72. Sophomore Chlee Gushewski (79), freshman Bailey Compton (83) and junior Abby McCain (85) rounded out the Cougars’ team score.
“I’m content,” admitted Yurik, a Miss Golf candidate. “This wasn’t my best day. There were some birdies to be made. I think 72 is a good score here. This is a big boost for us. The girls need to see that we are that good and we can win. It’s not out of reach, it’s definitely possible.
“This is (our) best score of the year,” continued Yurik, who lost a pair of Division I college teammates from last year’s state runner-up squad.
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Category: High School, Lake Orion, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Stoney Creek
