GIRLS GOLF: Rochester rolls to 11th regional crown
other qualifying berths
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.Stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
DAVISON – Developing a state of mental toughness is the difference between Rochester this season and last year.
Last October, Rochester failed to reach the state finals for the third straight season despite being ranked fifth entering regional week. The Falcons have more than made up for it this autumn.
Rochester, currently the top ranked school in Division 1, captured its seventh tournament title of the season and continued a string of 10 top-three finishes at tournaments with a resounding victory Thursday at Davison Country Club.
The Falcons put together a play-five, count-four team score of 317 to easily outdistance themselves from the rest of the 13-school field. Second-ranked Lake Orion (333) and ninth-ranked Davison (335) also advanced out of the regional, as the top three teams and top three individuals not on the top three teams all qualified for the Lower Peninsula Division 1 State Finals Oct. 16-17 at The Meadows Golf Course on the campus of Grand Valley State University.
It marked Rochester’s 11th regional championship in two decades and sends the Falcons to the state finals for the 16th time in 20 campaigns. Rochester has posted a total of 10 top-three tournament finishes this season to go along with a 5-1 dual match record.
“The past (three) years we just missed the state finals,” recalled Jeff Haney, Rochester’s head coach since 2006 who watched the Falcons finish as the state runner-up in the fall 2007 season and win back-to-back Division 1 state championships in 2008 and 2009. “Last year we missed by two strokes and didn’t play well at the regional. Two years ago we missed by four strokes and didn’t have out best day. I think one of the things that the girls really worked on since last season is developing some better mental toughness. I think we have shown that all season.
“We have finished (in the top three) at every tournament this season and we did that today with one of our best scores,” continued Haney. “I’ll take a 317 on this course and win a regional that had two other ranked teams in it and some other quality schools as well. We had three girls have really good scores and our No. 4 broke 90. Anytime you can do that in girls golf you’re going to be competitive. And looking back at some of our strongest teams over the years, they have been able to do that. We have consistently been posting four good scores all season.”
Grand Blanc finished fourth in the team standings at 341, as the Bobcats missed out on a return berth to the state finals. Rochester Adams (348), Lapper (349), Clarkston (351), Rochester Stoney Creek (375), Oxford (396) and Port Huron Northern (400) rounded out the top 10 in the 13-school field.
Stoney Creek junior Lauren Ingle was the medalist with an even-par round of 72.
Davison’s Kamryn Johnston (73), Rochester’s Veronica Haque (74) and Erika Yang (74) and Lake Orion’s Lauren Danielson (76) all finished in the top five.
Individually, Clarkston’s Meghan Deardorff and Grand Blanc’s Cammi Lucia tied for sixth with rounds of 80 and join Stoney Creek’s Ingle as state qualifiers.
Rochester’s Brooke Busse also tied for sixth (80) and Keri Yang tied for 23rd with an 89 to aid Rochester’s winning total.
Following the aforementioned Danielson, Moyea Russel (82), Megan Miller (86) and Lyndsey Welper (89) were part of Lake Orion’s runner-up cause.
Shelbe Cahill (83), Karsen Johnston (86), Payton Steinhaus (93) and Alex Kim (93) helped Davison nab the third and final qualifying team spot.
“I am proud of the girls for not only their hard work since last season, but their determination to get better,” added Haney. “The goal this season was to definitely get to the state finals. We have not been since 2011. We should be amongst the top group of schools that have a shot at winning (a state title).”
DIVISION 1 REGIONAL
(Oct. 8 at Davison Country Club, par 72)
TEAM SCORES — 1. Rochester 317; 2. Lake Orion 333; 3. Davison 335; 4. Grand Blanc 341; 5. Rochester Adams 348; 6. Lapeer 349; 7. Clarkston 351; 8. Rochester Stoney Creek 375; 9. Oxford 396; 10. Port Huron Northern 400; 11. Romeo 455; 12. Flint Carman-Ainsworth 467; 13. Saginaw Heritage NTS.
TOP 15 INDIVIDUALS — 1. Lauren Ingle (Rochester Stoney Creek) 72*; 2. Kamryn Johnston (Davison) 73; 3. (tie) Veronica Haque (Rochester) 74; Erika Yang (Rochester) 74; 5. Lauren Danielson (Lake Orion) 76; 6. (tie) Brooke Busse (Rochester) 80; Meghan Deardorff (Clarkston) 80*; Cammi Lucia (Grand Blanc) 80*; 9. Allison Bruett (Grand Blanc) 81; 10. (tie) Moyea Russel (Lake Orion) 82; Andi Chaloult (Rochester Adams) 82; 12. Brooke Gibbons (Lapeer) 83; 13. Julia Moran (Rochester Adams) 84; 14. Baylee Thompson Lapeer) 85; 15. (tie) Megan Miller (Lake Orion) 86; Karsen Johnston (Davison) 86.
TEAM RESULTS
ROCHESTER (317): Veronica Haque 74; Erika Yang 74; Brooke Busse 80; Keri Yang 89; Tori Hawkins 124.
LAKE ORION (313): Lauren Danielson 76; Moyea Russel 82; Megan Miller 86; Lyndsey Welper 89; Cameron Coltrin 92
DAVISON (335): Kamryn Johnston 73; Shelbe Cahill 83; Karsen Johnston 86; Payton Steinhaus 93; Alex Kim 93.
GRAND BLANC (341): Cammi Lucia 80; Allison Bruett 81; Erin Walter 87; Victoria Wirth 93; Nicole Leech 109.
ROCHESTER ADAMS (348): Andi Chaloult 82; Julia Moran 84; Katie Rourke 87; Elexi Boladian 95; Maggie Bailey 106
LAPEER (349): Brooke Gibbons 83; Baylee Thompson 85; Morgan Stevens 88; Emily Alexander 93; Callie Kennedy 98.
CLARKSTON (351): Meghan Deardorff 80; Claudia Sampson 87; Ilham Osman 92; Samantha Weber 92; Payton Greenlee 99.
ROCHESTER STONEY CREEK (375): Lauren Ingle 72; Annica Steen 88; Caroline Porter 107; Sarah Drake 108; Nicole Mazzola 137.
OXFORD (396): Makenzie Chaisson 89; Katie Guthrie 92; Lauren Opalewski 103; Lauren Yankee 112; Emily Zeliasko 114.
PORT HURON NORTHERN (400): Megan Randolph 86; Cassidy Koschnitzke 89; Margaret Smith 109; Lanie Plater 116; Grace Mills 121.
ROMEO (455): Karen Brown 88; Lane LaBaere 111; Mary Weber 113; Amy Laurie 143.
FLINT CARMAN-AINSWORTH (467): Mikalia Garrison 101; Madysen League 102; Sloan Barclay 127; Ally Dittenbergy 137.
SAGINAW HERITAGE (NTS): Alexis DeLaCruz 96; Megan Gendregske 110; Allison Skulley 120.
(The top three teams, plus the top three individuals not on the top three teams, all advance to the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals OCt. 16-17 at The Meadows Golf Course. An * asterisk denotes and individual state qualifier.)
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