The NorthWood girls golf team won the NLC Tournament championship Saturday in Middlebury.

MIDDLEBURY – The NorthWood girls golf team went into the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament Saturday as the team to beat.

The No. 20 Panthers lived up to that well-deserved role as favorites too.

Coach Adam Yoder’s deep and talented team claimed the league tourney crown for the first time in six years at the Meadow Valley Golf Club.

Senior Linnzie Richner earned individual medalist honors with a round of 83 to pace the Panthers on the cool and windy day on a course drenched by heavy rains on Friday. The Panther ace shot a 38 over her final nine to finish atop the leaderboard. Richner has led NorthWood to an undefeated mark in NLC play during her outstanding prep career.

NorthWood, which went undefeated in the NLC regular season, shot 343 Saturday. Wawasee, the defending league tourney champs, was runner-up at 359. Plymouth was third at 370 with Warsaw fourth at 399.

Linnzie Richner watches her tee shot Saturday. The NorthWood ace was medalist in the NLC Tournament.

Yoder  watched as his program won at least a share of the NLC championship for the fourth straight year.

“It’s always a goal to win it (the NLC) and I thought that if we took care of business today that we would be okay,” said Yoder. “We thought that if we had four girls under 90 that we would be tough to beat and that was the case today. I think that one through five that this is the most talented team that we have had.”

The Panthers placed four players on the All-NLC team. Junior Summer Stillson, who shot 84, was there again, along with freshman Mackenzie Weaver and sophomore Madison Richner. Weaver shot 87 and the younger Richner 89.

“That’s pretty special,” said Yoder of having the quartet all earn All-NLC honors. “That’s the most we’ve ever had in one year and it’s pretty cool and amazing to see.

“I know that Linnzie really wanted to be medalist today and she did her thing. I have a lot of confidence in her and Summer. They are going to be there for us when it matters.

“I was really proud of our No. 3 and 4 (Mackenzie and Madison). We needed their performances and they came through, both earning All-NLC honors. Our whole run this year has been based on our No. 3 and 4 being in the 80’s. This should give both of them a lot of confidence going forward.”

Freshman Abby Slabaugh rounded out the NorthWood lineup with a 112.

Wawasee, which lost 165-187 to NorthWood head-to-head on the Panthers’ home course on Sept. 3, was led by senior Kylee Rostochak and junior Aubrey Schmeltz.  Each finished with a round of 87 for the Warriors, who were a State Finalist in 2014.

“I’m not disappointed in how we played,” said Wawasee coach Steve Coverstone. “We played okay today. Just not good enough to win. Both Kylee and Aubrey played well for us.

“We did not want to make too big a deal coming into this today. We just wanted to go out and play the best we could and see what happens. The sectional will be similar to this and I know that my kids will be there and battle.”

Both Rostochak and Schmeltz earned All-NLC honors for the Warriors.

Aubrey Schmeltz of Wawasee earned All-NLC honors Saturday.

Junior Madison Beaman shot a 92 for Wawasee, while senior Mikala Mawhorter finished with a 93 and junior Kamryn Foy a 94.

Warsaw coach Tad Nieter saw his young team deliver a season best score.

“Our only goal today was to break 400 and we did that and were 10 shots better than our previous low,” said Nieter. “Each of our girls today had one or two holes with big numbers, but they did not let that get to them and I’m most proud of that.

“I’m really proud of how far they have come since the season started. They have made huge progress and I’m really excited about our future.”

Junior Madi Graham led the way for Warsaw with a round of 94.

Delaney Wihebrink shot a season best round of 99 for the Tigers and Page Desenberg finished with a 102. Morgan Fuentes, the lone senior, shot  104 and Madelyn Ray a 109. Ray was in the lineup Saturday for Madison Martz, who had to miss the tourney to attend a family funeral.

Northridge was fifth in the final team standings at 425 with Concord sixth at 426, Goshen seventh at 447 and Elkhart Memorial eighth at 517.

The All-NLC list included Linnzie Richner, Stillson, Weaver and Madison Richner of NorthWood, Rostochak and Schmeltz of Wawasee, and Miranda Dunn and Morgan Oberley of Plymouth.

Graham was an honorable mention All-NLC choice by the coaches. She was joined by Mawhorter of Wawasee, Katie Johnson of Plymouth and Erika Shirley of Concord.

The final NLC overall standings were NorthWood at the top with Wawasee second. Plymouth was third with Warsaw fourth, Concord and Northridge tied for fifth and Goshen seventh and Memorial eighth.

Warsaw will host Triton and Whitko Tuesday at Stonehenge. NorthWood hosts Fairfield Monday at McCormick Creek.

Warsaw, NorthWood and Wawasee will all compete in the Warsaw Sectional Sept. 18 at Stonehenge. The Panthers claimed the program’s first-ever sectional championship a year ago.

Madi Graham led the way for Warsaw in the NLC Tournament Saturday.