Top-ranked Mona Shores cruises past Seaholm for D-2 golf title

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

ROCHESTER HILLS — Being ranked No. 1 in the state all season long is one thing. Prevailing on top during the final weekend of the season is another.

Muskegon Mona Shores completed that feat at Oakland University’s Katke Cousins Golf Course Friday and Saturday.

The Sailors put together team scores of 328 and 333 for a two-day total of 661 in winning the Lower Peninsula Division 2 state championship, the school’s third in girls golf.

Mona Shores fought through brisk temperatures and at times gail-force winds to sail past runner-up Birmingham Seaholm, which finished a distant 27 strokes back at 688.

Greenville was third at 719, while Birmingham Marian (721), Battle Creek Lakeview, (721),  Farmington Hills Mercy (725), East Lansing (727), Portage Central (739) and Traverse City Central (756) rounded out the top 10 in the 15-school field.

“I told the girls that everyone had to play in these conditions and that the best team would prevail in the end,” offered Mona Shores coach John Brainard. “We played through it and proved that we were the best team.”

It marked the school’s sixth state title overall combining girls and boys golf and the Sailors’ girls program third straight state crown.

Morgan Smith shot 160 (81-79) to finish third overall to lead Mona Shores. Haily Hrynewich followed with a 160, Britni Gielow and Ashlee Taylor followed with 171 totals and Kelsey Taylor shot 171, as all five of the Sailors’ golfers placed in the top 20.

Seaholm featured a senior, two sophomores and two freshmen in its top five, and its 338 and 350 team efforts easily grabbed the young Maples the runner-up trophy by 31 strokes.

Essence Biggs, last year’s individual champ, finished at 165 (83-82) to tie for seventh overall to lead Seaholm. Rachel Wilson (173), Megan Lam (174), Riley Miller (184) and Jamie Greene (187) all finished in the top half for the Maples.

“I think we exceeded expectations,” admitted Seaholm coach Leon Braisted, whose team climbed to fifth in the rankings after his team won its ninth regional in 10 years. “We are a young team and we played better (this season) than a lot of others thought we would.”

Individual state qualifier Elle Nichols of Okemos emerged as the medalist, firing rounds of 77 and 80 for a 157 total to win by a stroke over Kristyn Crippen of East Lansing (68-80-158).

Mona Shores’ Smith was third, followed by East Lansing’s Maggie Campbell (162), Mona Shores’ Hrynewich (163), Portage Central’s Jessica Heimonen (163), Seaholm’s Biggs (165), Traverse City Central’s Courtney Dye (165), Marian’s Macy Hudson (165) and Greenville’s Jessica Meloche (167) in the top 10 in the individual standings.

As for individuals from the www.northoaklandsports.com coverage area, Oxford’s Kyla Kurczewski (94-96-190) and Holly’s Alexandria Johnson (96-96-192) also competed but were far off the pace.

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Category: High School, High School (M-Z), Holly, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes