SYRACUSE – In what was arguably the top team accomplishment to happen in Wawasee athletics for the 2014-15 sports year, the Wawasee girls golf team defied all odds and clinched a berth in the 2014 IHSAA Girls Golf State Championships. Despite losing their No. 1 golfer in Elizabeth Jackson, the Lady Warriors have plenty to be excited about entering 2015.

“Making it to state last year is a huge confidence boost going into this season,” stated Mikala Mawhorter, Wawasee senior. “Honestly, we were just happy to be at the regional, that was a big deal for us. But when we got to the scoreboard after our round and saw that we beat NorthWood by one stroke to get to state, that was amazing and I really think that will help us in reaching our goal of returning to Prairie View this year.”

Wawasee finished 13th in the two-day state championship tournament held at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel, it was the ladies first state berth since 1986. Wawasee is in a unique position as it returns five of the six golfers playing in last year’s state finals.

Aubrey Schmeltz, Kylee Rostochak, Madison Beaman, and Kamryn Foy all played significant roles, along with Mawhorter, on the team that went 17-1 and won the Northern Lakes Conference tournament. The amount of talent coming back makes Wawasee head coach Steve Coverstone a happy man, not that he would ever let you know that for certain.

“I’m looking forward to the season, rumor has it that we’re guaranteed to play 18 matches again this year,” said the always entertaining Coverstone. “What great luck for a coach to have with five girls like that back, and they’ve really worked hard. They’ve all put time in over the summer, that’s something we really needed them to do.”

That hard work will pay dividends late in the season, as it did last year. This season the Lady Warriors will face many of the same obstacles that popped up in the fall of 2014. The biggest of those obstacles is in NorthWood. The Panthers won the NLC regular season title with a 7-0 mark and carry a 22-match win streak in the conference.

“NorthWood is always a tough team to play against,” Mawhorter stated. “The scores that team puts up are hard to compete with, they aren’t inconsistent but they are hard to figure out at times because they always shoot so close together. Sometimes they’re dropping an 85 as their fifth score, other times they are needing to use a 92, it’s hard to know where they’re going to be. That’s why you just have to focus on yourself with this sport, worry about the things you can control.”

“They’re bringing back a ton just like we are,” Coverstone said of NorthWood. “They have four girls coming back, all of which can shoot very well. I think the conference will come down to us or them, like it did last year.”

Both NorthWood and Wawasee have cracked the preseason state ranking as honorable mentions.
Courtney McDaniel joins Jackson as a key departure for Wawasee while key newcomers include Zoe White and Lesley Taygua. Wawasee plays its home matches at Maxwelton Golf Club in Syracuse.

NorthWood Panthers

Home Course: McCormick Creek Golf Course, Nappanee

Key Returnees: Linnzie Richner, Summer Stillson, Madison Richner, Hope Cripe

Key Losses: Rachel Beebe

Key Newcomers: Claire McGuire, Abby Slabaugh, Mackenzie Weaver

Coach Adam Yoder’s Comments: “Our season expectations are two-fold as always. We want to give ourselves a realistic chance to win the NLC title and to qualify for the East Noble Regional…Our biggest strengths include our driving distance and our putting. The might be the longest overall team we’ve ever had in addition to one of the best groups of putters we’ve had. Those should be advantageous for us if we play to those strengths and improve upon our short game from 30 to 70 yards.”

Tippecanoe Valley Vikings

Home Course: Round Barn Golf Club at Mill Creek, Rochester

Key Returnees: Liz VanMeter, Victoria Biddle, Blake McBrier, Jade VanMeter

Key Losses: N/A

Key Newcomers: Makayla Sandbakken, Brianna McBrier

Coach Darren Parker’s Comments: “We have so many young girls this year so we will really be focused on improving as individuals…Our main goal is to just be playing our best golf by September and I think that’s doable with this group.”

Triton Trojans

Home Course: Rozella Ford Golf Club, Warsaw

Key Returnees: Kayla Kreft, Tessa Heaton

Key Losses: Hannah Jennings, Lillie Berger

Key Newcomers: Kate Gardner

Coach Jack Carpenter’s Comments: “We’re a team with very little experience…We had six girls earlier in the summer but are down to just three now…Without being able to have a team score, we’re just focused on individual improvement.”

Warsaw Tigers

Home Course: Stonehenge Golf Club, Warsaw

Key Returnees: Page Desenberg, Madi Graham, Morgen Fuentes, Ash Jain

Key Losses: Alexis Manwaring, Kristen Watson

Key Newcomers: Delaney Wihebrink

Coach Tad Nieter Comments: “We have a young team with a lot of potential. Madi Graham and Page Dessenberg can do great things for our team this season. We are looking forward to the progress we will make this year. The girls are excited and eager to hone in on that potential.”

Whitko Wildcats

Home Course: Sycamore Golf Club, North Manchester

Key Returnees: Claire Reiff, Aurelia Slusher

Key Losses: April Bishop, Elizabeth Gensch

Key Newcomers: N/A

Coach’s Comments: N/A