Tiger Golfers Take Squires
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
With first place on the line in the conference golf match this weekend, Warsaw coach Bob Turner was hoping to see his team turn in a solid performance Thursday evening. That would allow his Tigers to gain needed momentum in their quest to beat Goshen at the NLC Championship match.
His team delivered, and the unlikely source powering his team to the win was Ashley Cooper. Cooper, a sophomore who golfs in the No. 5 spot, turned in a 45 on the front nine at Rozella Ford as the Tigers mopped up Manchester 193-222. It was the seventh time Warsaw shot below 200 this season.
The front nine is par 35, and Cooper was trodding on familiar ground. She also shot a 45 at Rozella in late August to lead the Tigers to a win.
"She likes this course," Turner said.
Cooper's score bettered Heidi Wieland's by 13 strokes. Wieland, who shot a 58, golfs in the No. 1 spot for the Squires.
Turner was especially happy to see Cooper turn in a strong performance. Just three matches ago, Turner was unhappy with a mental error she made. She hit a ball into the water on the course. She asked Turner what she was supposed to do. Turner thought she should have already known what to do, so he told her to go home, look up the rule and report back to him.
"She played No. 6 (junior varsity) a week after that," Turner said. "She corrected the error. Now she's come back from adversity to be a medalist tonight. She has a little grit.
"As frustrated as I was with her that night, I'm tickled to death with her tonight."
Teammate Julie Arnold finished two strokes behind Cooper with a 47. Amy Landis shot a 49, Tricia Suchecki a 52 and Brooke Westover a 57. Westover's score was dropped from the team total.
Arnold, Landis, Suchecki and Westover each parred hole No. 5, a par three hole. Cooper parred the No. 2 hole, a par three hole. Arnold also parred hole No. 9, a par four hole.
Leading Manchester for the second match in a row was Katie Parker. Parker, a junior in her first golf season, shot a 47. She parred holes No. 2, No. 5 and No. 8. Jodee Ruppel, who needed just one putt on three of the nine holes, shot a 56. Tashia Cox shot a 61, and Demara Knight shot a 63. Knight's score was dropped from the team total.
"Katie is playing very well for her first year," Manchester coach Jody Shewman said. "Coming in and sticking her in the No. 1 or 2 spot - that takes a lot to come in and shoot real well. Tonight she shot a 47, and that's pretty good on this course, I think."
In junior varsity action, Warsaw freshman April Turner shot a 55, while Manchester's Becky Marcum shot a 65 and Kasha Wieland a 76.
Manchester, who started the season 5-0, is 6-3. Still, if first-year coach Shewman were told before the season she would have six wins in nine matches, she would have taken it.
"I'm really surprised with what our record is now," Shewman said. "I wasn't looking to be anywhere close to 6-3. We started out 5-0, and I was really proud of the girls for that.
"(Consistency) was our biggest concern. Right now we're very inconsistent. Hopefully, we're going to get back where a couple can shoot in the 40s and some even in the low 50s. Consistency is a big thing.
What appears to be a confident Warsaw team (11-3) competes in the NLC Championship at Nappanee's McCormick Creek Golf Club on Saturday. Warsaw enters the match with six conference points, trailing Goshen, who is undefeated with seven points.
Goshen has the best golfer in the NLC in Inga Snyder, and she shot a 34 at McCormick against Warsaw on Aug. 29. McCormick is a par 36 course, and the 34 was Snyder's best score of the season. Goshen shot a 182 that match, while Warsaw shot a 200.
As he has often done in the past, Turner is again hoping for bad weather. He figures bad weather can be the one equalizer between his team and Snyder. He thinks his team could play better in inclement weather, while Snyder could do worse.
"Bad weather will help us," he said. "Our girls don't worry about the weather. It comes down to one girl who will determine the conference. If she (Snyder) shoots her score, we're somewhere behind them. If she doesn't shoot her score, we're in the hunt."
Manchester has a 4:15 p.m. match at Marion on Monday.
WARSAW 193, MANCHESTER 222
Warsaw - Ashley Cooper 45, Julie Arnold 47, Amy Landis 49, Tricia Suchecki 52, Brooke Westover 57
Manchester - Katie Parker 47, Jodee Ruppel 56, Heidi Wieland 58, Tashia Cox 61, Demara Knight 63 [[In-content Ad]]
With first place on the line in the conference golf match this weekend, Warsaw coach Bob Turner was hoping to see his team turn in a solid performance Thursday evening. That would allow his Tigers to gain needed momentum in their quest to beat Goshen at the NLC Championship match.
His team delivered, and the unlikely source powering his team to the win was Ashley Cooper. Cooper, a sophomore who golfs in the No. 5 spot, turned in a 45 on the front nine at Rozella Ford as the Tigers mopped up Manchester 193-222. It was the seventh time Warsaw shot below 200 this season.
The front nine is par 35, and Cooper was trodding on familiar ground. She also shot a 45 at Rozella in late August to lead the Tigers to a win.
"She likes this course," Turner said.
Cooper's score bettered Heidi Wieland's by 13 strokes. Wieland, who shot a 58, golfs in the No. 1 spot for the Squires.
Turner was especially happy to see Cooper turn in a strong performance. Just three matches ago, Turner was unhappy with a mental error she made. She hit a ball into the water on the course. She asked Turner what she was supposed to do. Turner thought she should have already known what to do, so he told her to go home, look up the rule and report back to him.
"She played No. 6 (junior varsity) a week after that," Turner said. "She corrected the error. Now she's come back from adversity to be a medalist tonight. She has a little grit.
"As frustrated as I was with her that night, I'm tickled to death with her tonight."
Teammate Julie Arnold finished two strokes behind Cooper with a 47. Amy Landis shot a 49, Tricia Suchecki a 52 and Brooke Westover a 57. Westover's score was dropped from the team total.
Arnold, Landis, Suchecki and Westover each parred hole No. 5, a par three hole. Cooper parred the No. 2 hole, a par three hole. Arnold also parred hole No. 9, a par four hole.
Leading Manchester for the second match in a row was Katie Parker. Parker, a junior in her first golf season, shot a 47. She parred holes No. 2, No. 5 and No. 8. Jodee Ruppel, who needed just one putt on three of the nine holes, shot a 56. Tashia Cox shot a 61, and Demara Knight shot a 63. Knight's score was dropped from the team total.
"Katie is playing very well for her first year," Manchester coach Jody Shewman said. "Coming in and sticking her in the No. 1 or 2 spot - that takes a lot to come in and shoot real well. Tonight she shot a 47, and that's pretty good on this course, I think."
In junior varsity action, Warsaw freshman April Turner shot a 55, while Manchester's Becky Marcum shot a 65 and Kasha Wieland a 76.
Manchester, who started the season 5-0, is 6-3. Still, if first-year coach Shewman were told before the season she would have six wins in nine matches, she would have taken it.
"I'm really surprised with what our record is now," Shewman said. "I wasn't looking to be anywhere close to 6-3. We started out 5-0, and I was really proud of the girls for that.
"(Consistency) was our biggest concern. Right now we're very inconsistent. Hopefully, we're going to get back where a couple can shoot in the 40s and some even in the low 50s. Consistency is a big thing.
What appears to be a confident Warsaw team (11-3) competes in the NLC Championship at Nappanee's McCormick Creek Golf Club on Saturday. Warsaw enters the match with six conference points, trailing Goshen, who is undefeated with seven points.
Goshen has the best golfer in the NLC in Inga Snyder, and she shot a 34 at McCormick against Warsaw on Aug. 29. McCormick is a par 36 course, and the 34 was Snyder's best score of the season. Goshen shot a 182 that match, while Warsaw shot a 200.
As he has often done in the past, Turner is again hoping for bad weather. He figures bad weather can be the one equalizer between his team and Snyder. He thinks his team could play better in inclement weather, while Snyder could do worse.
"Bad weather will help us," he said. "Our girls don't worry about the weather. It comes down to one girl who will determine the conference. If she (Snyder) shoots her score, we're somewhere behind them. If she doesn't shoot her score, we're in the hunt."
Manchester has a 4:15 p.m. match at Marion on Monday.
WARSAW 193, MANCHESTER 222
Warsaw - Ashley Cooper 45, Julie Arnold 47, Amy Landis 49, Tricia Suchecki 52, Brooke Westover 57
Manchester - Katie Parker 47, Jodee Ruppel 56, Heidi Wieland 58, Tashia Cox 61, Demara Knight 63 [[In-content Ad]]