GIRLS GOLF: Titan-sized upset: Traverse City West upsets top-ranked Rochester on tiebreaker for first state title
BY DAN STICKRADT
SENIOR EDITOR
dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com
Twitter: @LocalSportsFans
ALLENDALE — Out of nowhere.
Sounds more like a song or movie title.
It’s also the perception that Traverse City West left on the field at the Lower Peninsula Division 1 state finals at The Meadows Golf Course as an unranked school.
The Titans also reemphasized the fact that in team golf — every stroke counts.
Traverse City West captured its first ever state title in girls golf, edging top-ranked Rochester on a fifth-man tie-breaker in Saturday’s second round played under blustery and windy conditions and with temps in the high 30s.
West shot 685 (348-337) and Rochester also compiled an 685 (443-342). The Titans’ No. 5 golfer, Grace Warren, shot a second round 99 which was 18 strokes better than Rochester’s No. 5 golfer.
Freshman Anika Dy (156) led TC West. Hunter Kehoe (167), Grace Ellul (175), Madeline McCall (190) and Warren (193) all competed for the Titans.
“To be honest, I was thinking that we might be able to squeak into the top five. I would have been ecstatic with that,” noted TC West coach Kristen Nolan, whose team still won eight tournaments with a runner-up this season. “To come in here and win it after not being ranked is incredible. We don’t have any seniors (in our top five). The girls just came here and played solid golf in the conditions and we ended up winning. I didn’t expect that.
“We did end up winning six tournaments in a row, finished second in one, than won our regional and now the state finals,” added Nolan. “Not sure why we weren’t ranked. I do think the cold weather actually helped us. I know our girls are more likely to have to play in the rain, sleet or even snow compared to the (downstate) schools throughout the year. I think some of them have gone through this before.”
Veronica Haque (160), Brooke Busse (170), Erika Yang (173) and Keri Yang (182) were Rochester’s two-day scorers. The Falcons’ Achilees Heel of not having a No. 5 golfer capable of breaking 100 proved to be costly on the season’s final day.
“It’s tough — so close,” said Rochester coach Jeff Haney, who has seen his program win three titles with three state runner-up trophies in the past 13 school years. The Falcons have posted 16 top-10 finishes in two decades with titles in 2002, 2008 and 2009 with runners-up in 2005, 2007 and 2015.
“I’m very proud of the girls. We missed qualifying by two strokes last season and to come in here without any state finals experience except for Veronica Haque and coming within a stroke is still very good,” continued Haney. “We battled and battled the conditions and we took it to the wire. But we don’t have any seniors on our entire team and we do have a good player coming up (from middle school). Most of the top 10 teams are bringing most of their team back next year. It’s going to be great for girls golf next year.”
Bloomfield Hills, ranked fifth, finished a close third at 692, only seven strokes from the lead, while Troy (695), Novi (695), Saline (697), Lake Orin (700), Farmington Hills Mercy (700), Brighton (713) and Ann Arbor Pioneer (717) rounded out the top 10 in the 15-school field.
Individually, Brighton junior Julia Dean came back from an 82 in Friday’s first round and fired a weekend-best 73 in the second round, good enough for a 155 to win medalist honors by a stroke over the aforementioned Anika Dy of Traverse City West (156).
Lauren Ingle of Rochester Stoney Creek and Lake Orion’s Moyea Russell both finished three strokes back at 158, while Rochester’s Haque (160), Saline’s Samantha Kellstrom (160), North Farmington;s Alana Jones (164), Davison’s Kamryn Johnston (164), Novi’s Alexa Hatz (164), Granc Blanc’s Cammi Lucia (165) and Ann Arbor Pioneer’s Katie Mina Lee (165) rounded out the top 10 medalists.
Dean actually took her classes on-line the past two years, but moved to a more traditional school setting this season and joined Brighton’s team. She said that staying calm and keeping a strong mindset in the rough conditions paid dividends in the end.
“I just tried not to get caught up in the moment, remained focused and just went out there and played my game. I just tried to take it one shot at a time,” said Dean, who spent the past two years competing on the AJGA circuit during the high school season. “I just wanted to go out and play my best and see what happened. I ended up having a really good score today and it helped me win.”
Dean birdied the ninth, 14th and 18th holes and never shot below a bogey.
“I think the difference (Saturday) was my putting. Yesterday my putting was a little off,” added Dean. “My goal (Saturday) was to try to relax a little on my putting and I was able to shoot a lot better.”
2015 MHSAA L.P. DIVISION 1 STATE FINALS
(Oct. 16-17 at The Meadows Golf Course, Allendale, par 72)
TEAM STANDINGS — 1. Traverse City West, 348-337-685*: 2. Rochester, 343-342-685; 3. Bloomfield Hills, 345-347-692; 4. Troy, 356-339-695; 5. Novi, 356-339-695; 6. Saline, 353-344-697; 7. (tie) Lake Orion, 346-354-700; Farmington Hills Mercy, 358-342-700; 9. Brighton, 359-354-713; 10. Ann Arbor Pioneer, 360-357-717; 11. Davison, 359-364-723; 12. Plymouth, 400-345-745; 13. Northville, 394-373-767; 14. Holt, 388-413-801; 15. Caledonia, 423-416-839.
NOTE — Traverse City West wins on fifth-man tie-breaker.
TOP INDIVIDUALS — 1. Julia Dean (Brighton) 82-73-155; 2. Anika Dy (Traverse City West) 79-77-156; 3. (tie) Lauren Ingle (Roch Stoney Creek) 82-76-158; Moyea Russell (Lake Orion) 77-81-158; 5. (tie) Veronica Haque (Rochester) 80-80-160; Samantha Kellstrom (Saline) 84-76-160; 7. (tie) Alana Jones (North Farmington) 86-78-164; Kamryn Johnston (Davison) 82-82- 164; Alexa Hatz (Novi) 77-87-164; 10. (tie) Cammi Lucia (Grand Blanc) 85-80-165; Katie Mina Lee (Ann Arbor Pioneer) 85-80-165.
Team-By-Team Results
(First Day – Second Day – Total)
Traverse City West – 348 – 337 – 685
Anika Dy – 79 – 77 – 156
Hunter Kehoe – 87 – 80 – 167
Grace Ellul – 88 – 87 – 175
Madeline McCall – 97 – 93 – 190
Grace Warren – 94 – 99 – 193
Rochester – 343 – 342 – 685
Veronica Haque – 80 – 80 – 160
Brooke Busse – 85 – 85 – 170
Erika Yang – 90 – 83 – 173
Keri Yang – 88 – 94 – 182
Maddie Arsenault / Tori Hakwins – 147 – 117
Bloomfield Hills – 345 – 347 – 692
Abbey Pierce – 85 – 83 – 168
Mikaela Schulz – 84 – 84 – 168
Lizzie Pierce – 84 – 91 – 175
Katherine Prina – 100 – 89 – 189
Amanda Bearden – 92 – 101 – 193
Troy – 356 – 339 – 695
Naomi Kim – 88 – 81 – 169
Jennifer Cui – 88 – 82 – 170
Sahiba Singh – 85 – 88 – 173
Rijul Maini – 95 – 88 – 183
Catherine Noonan – 110 – 132 – 242
Novi – 357 – 339 – 696
Alexa Hatz – 77 – 87 – 164
Abby Livingston – 93 – 79 – 172
Maya Grandstaff – 92 – 88 – 180
Lauren Henry – 95 – 85 – 180
Leah Kiura / Reike Fujiwara – 101 – 95 – 196
Saline – 353 – 344 – 697
Samantha Kellstrom – 84 – 76 – 160
Catherine Loftus – 84 – 88 – 172
Sydney Page – 90 – 89 – 179
Molly Pribble – 95 – 91 – 186
Stephanie Schick / Riley Salowich – 110 – 95
Lake Orion – 346 – 354 – 700
Moyea Russell – 77 – 81 – 158
Lauren Danielson – 90 – 87 – 177
Megan Miller – 85 – 94 – 179
Cameron Coltrin – 95 – 92 – 187
Lyndsey Welper – 97 – 94 – 191
Farmington Hills Mercy – 358 – 342 – 700
Lilly Blake – 87 – 83 – 170
Julia Shaw – 87 – 84 – 171
Marissa Lobbia – 92 – 87 – 179
Mia Sooch – 92 – 88 – 180
Sophie VanderWeele / Rachel Phillips – 109 –
Brighton – 359 – 354 – 713
Julia Dean – 82 – 73 – 155
Annie Pietila – 87 – 92 – 179
Heather Fortushniak – 94 – 90 – 184
Alexandra Erkkila – 96 – 99 – 195
Autumn Blaney – 100 – 99 – 199
Ann Arbor Pioneer – 360 – 357 – 717
Katie-mina Lee – 85 – 80 – 165
Anastassia Lee – 85 – 89 – 174
Jane Taylor – 93 – 91 – 184
Maria Yenkel – 97 – 97 – 194
Emily Argersinger – 98 – 103 – 201
Davison – 359 – 364 – 723
Kamryn Johnston – 82 – 82 – 164
Karsen Johnston – 91 – 84 – 175
Payton Steinhaus – 91 – 99 – 190
Shelbe Cahill – 95 – 99 – 194
Claire Stoddard / Evan Vandeputte – 113 –
Plymouth – 400 – 345 – 745
Ariana Strzalka – 97 – 88 – 185
Erin Johnson – 94 – 92 – 186
Alaina Strzalka – 100 – 88 – 188
Heather Muir – 109 – 90 – 199
Katie Chipman – DNF- 79 –
Northville – 394 – 373 – 767
Gabby Jaszczur – 95 – 89 – 184
Allison Zwarka – 107 – 89 – 196
Alyse Clevenger – 93 – 104 – 197
Jen Kowalczyk – 99 – 100 – 199
Paige Rosinski / Hannah Dygert – 119 – 95 –
Holt – 388 – 413 – 801
Ashley Folleth – 84 – 88 – 172
Lauren Sanford – 89 – 105 – 194
Kaylee Carpenter – 105 – 112 – 217
Alicia McElroy / Alaina McFarland – 112 –
Emily Sabrosky – 110 – 113 – 223
Caledonia – 423 – 416 – 839
Brittany Smith – 104 – 97 – 201
EllaGrace Mulnix – 101 – 104 – 205
Elise Poll – 105 – 107 – 212
Lindsay Murphy – 113 – 108 – 221
Megan Bolt – 118 – 113 – 231
Individual Qualifiers
(First Day – Second Day – Total)
Roch Hills Stoney Creek – Lauren Ingle – 82 – 76 – 158
North Farmington – Alana Jones – 86 – 78 – 164
Grand Blanc – Cammi Lucia – 85 – 80 – 165
Ann Arbor Skyline – Jami Laude – 86 – 82 – 168
Holland West Ottawa – Jessica Dubeau – 92 – 77 – 169
Clarkston – Meghan Deardorff – 83 – 87 – 170
Troy Athens – Shikha Jha – 84 – 89 – 173
East Kentwood – Mackenzie Keenoy – 91 – 83 – 174
Salem – Darby Scott – 87 – 87 – 174
Salem – Hope Warkoczeski – 88 – 87 – 175
Milford – Julia Stevenson – 92 – 85 – 177
Walled Lake Northern – Danielle Frank – 88 – 91 – 179
Hudsonville – Dakota Spears – 87 – 95 – 182
Dearborn – Grace Fiscelli – 91 – 92 – 183
Sterling Heights Stevenson – Brooke Symons – 98 – 92 – 190
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