Mady Ray and Warsaw will take aim at the East Noble Girls Golf Regional this Saturday, hoping to grab one of three team spots. (File photos by James Costello)

KENDALLVILLE – Another weekend of golf for the teams from NorthWood and Warsaw means a couple different things. For both heading into the East Noble Girls Golf Regional this Saturday at Noble Hawk, the second chance is an opportunity to better their showings from somewhat underwhelming scores at the Warsaw Sectional. In other regards, the continued life is a chance to cross off a major aspiration on the season goal’s list.

The regional brings in 18 teams and a host of individuals to Noble Hawk, a place where both NorthWood and Warsaw have played this season. Back on Aug. 5 at the East Noble Invite, the Panthers defeated DeKalb and the remainder of the field for the title at Noble Hawk, Warsaw being one of the remainder. The tournament, located on purpose to give a regional-type preview, was a key opening experience for the Panthers.

NorthWood’s Abby Slabaugh

NorthWood comes into the regional having swallowed a bitter pill at the sectional. Bremen shot a 353 and used a fifth-man score to win the team title over Wood and also had Lexi Miller outgun Mackenzie Weaver on a one-hole playoff for medalist honors. NorthWood head coach Adam Yoder noted Bremen deserved the title with their overall team play, and wasn’t terribly upset about his team’s stumble, more so interested in qualifying for the next round.

The Panthers will welcome some depth to its roster, and will need it with a field that is rather lumped together in scores (keeping in mind the scores are coming in from six different sectional courses). Makenna Gall, who has been a No. 4 for the Panthers this season, returns from injury, which will help mix up the lineup in a good way. Weaver and Madison Richner remain the solid one-two punch, and Abby Slabaugh has been a steady three. With Hope Cripe’s improved play of late added to Kylee Gall and Abigail Richner, Yoder expects some competition for his final regional roster spots.

“Our regional prep has involved some uniqueness from other years, as we’ve had some competition for our final position,” stated Yoder. “Our top players have been through this week 2-3 times already, so we have just stayed consistent in our process with them.”

Warsaw comes into play after shooting a 377 to claim the third spot at the Warsaw sectional, but knows there is much work to be done if it wants to compete for one of the three state spots.

Their sectional total is one of the lower third scores coming into the weekend, and at no point in the handful of crossovers did Warsaw beat NorthWood or Bremen head’s up in duals or invites, let alone some of the other elite teams in the regional field. Grayson Kilburn led the Tigers on its home course with an 88 while Delaney Wihebrink and Izzy Ray were both in the low 90s. Where Warsaw has struggled at times this season is the plus-100 score, and the Tigers had two of them from Mady Ray and Miriam Hagg in the sectional.

LCA’s Abigail Fishel

“We have had a great week of practice so far,” said Warsaw head coach Tad Nieter. “The girls have come in focused and want to perform well, especially with three of them having regional experience from last year (the Ray sisters and Wihebrink). I want the girls to come in relaxed and just have fun each day at practice leading up to regionals and during the tournament. It’s a neat experience a lot of girls don’t get to have, so I want them to have a solid perspective on it. It doesn’t define who they are, but it is something to try your best at and take seriously.

The field will be chock full of teams that have crossed paths often this year. Homestead, Fort Wayne Dwenger and Huntington North come in as the top three scoring teams from their sectional titles, Homestead shooting a 313 and Dwenger 327. Penn, Northridge and Bremen serve as the other three sectional champions. DeKalb, Angola, Fort Wayne Carroll, Concord, Manchester, Madison-Grant, Bellmont, Heritage, South Bend St. Joe and Mishawaka Marian round out the field, creating quite a group of closely composed teams striving for what Yoder feels will be the second and third spots conceding Homestead likely takes one of the spots given its track record.

“Our 13th 18-hole tourney of the year will be Saturday, so we’ll be battle tested,” said Yoder. “We know what the best in the state look like and what it will take to be in the top three. What’s most impressive about these girls is their ability to put themselves in this position by using their past experiences to grow and perform. They’ve been steadily ranked or honorable mention all year in the state poll, won a few championships, and now they get a chance to play to go to the state finals…in a year where many thought we might take a step or two backwards. It’s a credit to our seniors’ leadership and the work ethic of our younger players that we’re in this position. It will be a fun day.”

Among the local individuals in the regional is LCA’s Abigal Fishel, who qualified from Warsaw with a 90. Fishel was the lone Cougar to play, and advances to her first regional.

Play begins at 8:30 a.m. with the top three teams and top five individuals not on an advancing team making the state finals, to be played Sept. 29-30 at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel.