Warsaw Community High School's girls golf team has gotten a bit of a facelift.
After winning last season's sectional and qualifying for the state finals, this year's edition of the Lady Tigers has three new players and a new coach.The new-look LadyTigers played their first competitive round at Stonehenge Golf Club Wednesday, defeating Columbia City 185-199.
Junior Sarah Hartle was the medalist on Stonehenge's par-35 front nine, shooting a 39, while senior Kayla Hutcherson shot a 40, making three birdies in the process.
"Sarah and Kayla are playing really solid," Warsaw coach Chris LaLonde said. "Now, they just need to work the other three in there. You just have to learn how to play the golf course. Sarah and Kayla do, and the younger ones aren't playing it as smart as I think they can."
The other three are sophomore Morgan Sands and freshmen Nikki Grose and Nikki LaLonde, who shot a 50, 56 and 58, respectively.
The three are replacing the graduated Audrey Petro and Alyssa Cameron, as well as last year's foreign exchange student Laksika Kannasut.
Along with replacing former players, LaLonde is also replacing last year's coach, Bob Turner.
LaLonde did coach Warsaw between 2003 and 2006, reaching state all four years with two-time state champion Emily Johnson.
"I don't know how long it will take me to get back into the swing," LaLonde said. "The reason I left was because I had young kids. Now, they're a little bit older and my daughter (Nikki LaLonde) is on the team. It's just a little more convenient now."
Currently, LaLonde is relying on her two upperclassmen to carry the load, which occurred Wednesday, as Hartle was the medalist and Hutcherson birdied holes No. 4 and No. 8.
"We need their leadership just to get the other girls' confidence up," LaLonde said. "This golf course can really eat at your confidence."
Warsaw took part in the Fremont Invitational today and will also be at the Western Invitational Saturday.
"It's fun to watch them," LaLonde said of her players. "They're working on it. When they're out here playing, and they aren't playing well, they're asking me, 'Can we go to the driving range?' It's exciting to hear that."
