SYRACUSE – Consistency, said coach Chris LaLonde, has been the strength of the Warsaw Community High Scool's girls golf team this season. Such was the case again Saturday at South Shore Golf Course in Syracuse. Shooting a four-person score of 177 on both the front and back, the Lady Tigers won the eight-team Northern Lakes Conference match and overall NLC championship. "I think the girls are really consistent," said LaLonde, whose team was 7-0 in regular season NLC matches and boasts an overall record of 12-0. "They just hang in there. If one player is down, or has a bad hole, the others are their to pick her up. We don't let things get to us. The girls have a positive attitude." Warsaw's 18-hole score of 354 was nine strokes better than runner-up Plymouth. Northridge finished third Saturday with 369, followed by Wawasee (374), NorthWood (381), Goshen (404), Concord (443) and Elkhart Memorial (476). "I think it came down to chipping and putting," said LaLonde, whose team shared the lead with Plymouth after nine holes. "Plymouth was shot for shot with us on the fairways. Chipping and putting was big for us today." LaLonde was named the conference coach of the year, while Sarah Hartle and Nikki LaLonde received all-NLC honors. Hartle led the Lady Tigers with an 81, while LaLonde shot an 89. Other scores for Warsaw included Nikki Grose's 91, Alexis Manwaring's 93 and Morgan Sands' 100. Goshen senior Heather Gladfelter was the individual champion, firing 36 on the front and 39 on the back for a 3-over score of 75. Brenna Sherwood of Elkhart Memorial finished second with a 77. In both the case of Gladfelter and Sherwood, neither got any real help from their teammates, making Warsaw's consistent team play even more evident. Goshen's second-best score was a 100 by Kaitlyn Karnes, while Memorial's next-best round was a 117 from Kharlee Scroy. For Wawasee, the defending conference champion, Cortney Rassi led the way with an 83, while Kristin Lonn and Elizabeth Jackson shot 89 and 90, respectively. Alex Goralczyk finished with a 112 for the Lady Warriors, while Courtney McDaniel shot 129. "We shot a bit higher than we have been," said Wawasee coach Steve Coverstone. "We had too many big holes." Rassi received all-conference honors, while Lonn was named honorable mention. Plymouth and Wawasee, both of which posted 5-2 records in regular season NLC matches, finished second and third, respectively, in the final conference standings. Northridge was fourth in the final standings, followed by NorthWood, Goshen, Concord and Memorial. Wawasee is in action again Saturday in the Warsaw Sectional at Stonehenge. The Lady Tigers host Whitko Tuesday in a final tuneup for for sectional play. LaLonde believes winning the NLC title this weekend was big for her team's confidence and momentum. "It's huge for our momentum," said LaLonde. "This tournament helps get some of the nerves out. It helps them get mentally prepared for the sectional."
NLC TOURNAMENT South Shore G.C. (par 72) Team scores – Warsaw 354, Plymouth 363, Northridge 369, Wawasee 374, NorthWood 381, Goshen 404, Concord 443, Elkhart Memorial 476 Medalist – Heather Gladfelter (Goshen) 75 Warsaw - Sarah Hartle 81, Nikki LaLonde 89, Nikki Grose 91, Alexis Manwaring 93, Morgan Sands 100 Plymouth – Mandy McPherron 85, Emily Berger 87, Lauren Rearick 93, Kelly Henderson 98, Emily Denney 108 Northridge – Alayna Frauhiger 81, Katie Moniot 93, Victoria Roberts 97, Sidney Reed 98, Madison Stewart 110 Wawasee – Cortney Rassi 83, Kristin Lonn 89, Elizabeth Jackson 90, Alex Goralczyk 112, Courtney McDaniel 129 NorthWood – Heidi Morganthaler 83, Emily Myers 92, Katie Adams 101, Abby Hershberger 105, Rachel Beebe 107 Goshen - Heather Gladfelter 75, Kaitlyn Karnes 100, Teage Minier 114, Rochelle Rock 115, Katheryn Giddens 122 Concord – Kristen Fioritto 93, McKenna Grimske 113, Abigail Roberts 113, Ashlyn Ball 124, Olivia Kauffman 134 Elkhart Memorial - Brenna Sherwood 77, Kharlee Scroy 117, Kaylin Byers 136, Allyson Fisher 146 Megan Moore 148 Coach of the Year – Chris LaLonde (Warsaw) All-NLC – Heather Gladfelter (G), Brenna Shorewood (EM), Alayna Frauhiger (NR), Heidi Morganthaler (NW), Cortney Rassi (Wawa), Sarah Hartle (War), Nikki LaLonde (War), Mandy McPherron (Ply) Honroble Mention – Katie Moniot (NR), Emily Myers (NW), Kristin Lonn (Wawa), Emily Berger (Ply)
