Wins Add Up For Manchester Squires Girls Golf Team

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By Jeff Holsinger, Times-Union Staff Writer-

NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊThree girls golf programs, all lodged in different phases, faced off Thursday at Sycamore Golf Club.

Manchester, a team on the rise at 9-2, shot 212 to win the nine-hole match at its home course.

Tippecanoe Valley, a team in transition at 8-9, shot 229 to take second.

Whitko, a school trying to build a golf program, dropped to 0-10 after shooting 277 to place last.

The course was tough on players as 11 scores of 10 or higher were recorded.

One player who did not record anything close to a 10 on any hole was Manchester junior Dorey Bungitak.

Bungitak, who is to Manchester's golf team what running back Terrell Davis is to the Broncos, turned in her usual performance. She shot 42 on the par-36 course to take medalist honors.

Bungitak, one of the best golfers in the northern part of the state, is averaging 41 over nine holes, 11 strokes better than the second-best average on Manchester's team.

"Dorey is a very solid hitter, and then on top of that, she's very consistent," Manchester coach Keri Nichols said.

But as solid as Bungitak was, the girl who helped Manchester cruise to the convincing 17-stroke win was Christina Evans. Evans, the No. 3 golfer, shot 48, better than any Whitko scores and better than four of the five Valley scores.

"Christina has come on," Nichols said. "(Wednesday) night she shot 49. She has been averaging in the 50s, so for her to break 50 two nights in a row makes me happy."

Also for Manchester, Miriel Speicher shot 60, Alexis Leininger 65 and Lindsey Hix 62.

Sophomore Kendra Koser, who started the season as the No. 2 golfer in Valley's lineup, led the Vikings with 47. Ginger Ervin shot 59, Maggie Rock 65, Terra Weaver 58 and Trista Moyer 73.

The Vikings are golfing without two of the five girls in their varsity lineup to start the season. Number one golfer Mary Gast, a senior, left the team earlier this season. Number three golfer Erica Pontious has missed the last two matches with mono.

"We're pretty thin," Valley coach Roger Moriarty said. "Mary left the team for personal reasons. With school, preparing for college and her job, she felt with golf she had too many irons in the fire.

"We're trying to get our No. 1 and No. 2 to pick up the slack and get down a couple of strokes each."

All has not been lost for Valley. In last Saturday's Three Rivers Conference Tournament at Mill Creek in Rochester, Valley's home course, the Vikings finished first to win the conference championship for the second year in a row. Regular-season matches do not count in determining the winner in TRC girls golf.

At 0-10, first-year Whitko coach Jennifer Frieden does not talk titles. She talks of establishing devotion to golf at Whitko.

For Whitko, Carla Herbst shot 73, Beth Truman 72, Ashley Schrader 63, Miranda Krider 72 and Marla Rowland 70. Herbst's 73 in the No. 1 spot was higher than any Manchester score.

"This was an average match for us," Frieden said. "Anywhere from 260 to 280 is normal for us. We did have some times recently where four or five girls would be in the 60s, but tonight, only one was in the 60s."

Frieden says the scores will not decrease until the devotion increases.

"What I am trying to do is get these girls to play in the summer," she said, "and I am sure they are tired of me preaching to them. We can't go without playing all summer, start playing in the fall and expect to compete with these teams.

"Look at Dorey Bungitak. That's why she's so good. She's out here every day in the summer."

And Bungitak is the biggest reason the Squires are 9-2.

"I thought we would be competitive," Nichols said. "I'm pleased with being 9-2. You could say I'm a little surprised. But I'll take it."

MANCHESTER 212, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 229, WHITKO 277

Nine-hole varsity match Thursday at Sycamore Golf Club in North Manchester

par-36

Manchester (9-2 overall, 5-0 TRC) -ÊDorey Bungitak 42, Miriel Speicher 60, Christina Evans 48, Alexis Leininger 65, Lindsey Hix 62

Tippecanoe Valley (8-9 overall, 3-1 TRC) -ÊKendra Koser 47, Ginger Ervin 59, Maggie Rock 65, Terra Weaver 58, Trista Moyer 73

Whitko (0-10 overall, 0-3 TRC) -ÊCarla Herbst 73, Beth Truman 72, Ashley Schrader 63, Miranda Krider 72, Marla Rowland 70 [[In-content Ad]]

NORTH MANCHESTER -ÊThree girls golf programs, all lodged in different phases, faced off Thursday at Sycamore Golf Club.

Manchester, a team on the rise at 9-2, shot 212 to win the nine-hole match at its home course.

Tippecanoe Valley, a team in transition at 8-9, shot 229 to take second.

Whitko, a school trying to build a golf program, dropped to 0-10 after shooting 277 to place last.

The course was tough on players as 11 scores of 10 or higher were recorded.

One player who did not record anything close to a 10 on any hole was Manchester junior Dorey Bungitak.

Bungitak, who is to Manchester's golf team what running back Terrell Davis is to the Broncos, turned in her usual performance. She shot 42 on the par-36 course to take medalist honors.

Bungitak, one of the best golfers in the northern part of the state, is averaging 41 over nine holes, 11 strokes better than the second-best average on Manchester's team.

"Dorey is a very solid hitter, and then on top of that, she's very consistent," Manchester coach Keri Nichols said.

But as solid as Bungitak was, the girl who helped Manchester cruise to the convincing 17-stroke win was Christina Evans. Evans, the No. 3 golfer, shot 48, better than any Whitko scores and better than four of the five Valley scores.

"Christina has come on," Nichols said. "(Wednesday) night she shot 49. She has been averaging in the 50s, so for her to break 50 two nights in a row makes me happy."

Also for Manchester, Miriel Speicher shot 60, Alexis Leininger 65 and Lindsey Hix 62.

Sophomore Kendra Koser, who started the season as the No. 2 golfer in Valley's lineup, led the Vikings with 47. Ginger Ervin shot 59, Maggie Rock 65, Terra Weaver 58 and Trista Moyer 73.

The Vikings are golfing without two of the five girls in their varsity lineup to start the season. Number one golfer Mary Gast, a senior, left the team earlier this season. Number three golfer Erica Pontious has missed the last two matches with mono.

"We're pretty thin," Valley coach Roger Moriarty said. "Mary left the team for personal reasons. With school, preparing for college and her job, she felt with golf she had too many irons in the fire.

"We're trying to get our No. 1 and No. 2 to pick up the slack and get down a couple of strokes each."

All has not been lost for Valley. In last Saturday's Three Rivers Conference Tournament at Mill Creek in Rochester, Valley's home course, the Vikings finished first to win the conference championship for the second year in a row. Regular-season matches do not count in determining the winner in TRC girls golf.

At 0-10, first-year Whitko coach Jennifer Frieden does not talk titles. She talks of establishing devotion to golf at Whitko.

For Whitko, Carla Herbst shot 73, Beth Truman 72, Ashley Schrader 63, Miranda Krider 72 and Marla Rowland 70. Herbst's 73 in the No. 1 spot was higher than any Manchester score.

"This was an average match for us," Frieden said. "Anywhere from 260 to 280 is normal for us. We did have some times recently where four or five girls would be in the 60s, but tonight, only one was in the 60s."

Frieden says the scores will not decrease until the devotion increases.

"What I am trying to do is get these girls to play in the summer," she said, "and I am sure they are tired of me preaching to them. We can't go without playing all summer, start playing in the fall and expect to compete with these teams.

"Look at Dorey Bungitak. That's why she's so good. She's out here every day in the summer."

And Bungitak is the biggest reason the Squires are 9-2.

"I thought we would be competitive," Nichols said. "I'm pleased with being 9-2. You could say I'm a little surprised. But I'll take it."

MANCHESTER 212, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 229, WHITKO 277

Nine-hole varsity match Thursday at Sycamore Golf Club in North Manchester

par-36

Manchester (9-2 overall, 5-0 TRC) -ÊDorey Bungitak 42, Miriel Speicher 60, Christina Evans 48, Alexis Leininger 65, Lindsey Hix 62

Tippecanoe Valley (8-9 overall, 3-1 TRC) -ÊKendra Koser 47, Ginger Ervin 59, Maggie Rock 65, Terra Weaver 58, Trista Moyer 73

Whitko (0-10 overall, 0-3 TRC) -ÊCarla Herbst 73, Beth Truman 72, Ashley Schrader 63, Miranda Krider 72, Marla Rowland 70 [[In-content Ad]]

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