SYRACUSE – Elkhart Memorial won the battle. Wawasee won the war. The Warsaw Lady Tigers were right in the middle. In a high school girls golf match Thursday evening at Maxwelton Golf Course, Elkhart Memorial’s Courtney King was individual royalty, shooting a 3-over 39 to claim medalist honors. The hosts, however, won the team competition with a four-player score of 194, followed by Warsaw (201) and Memorial (206). It was the Lady Warrior’s only home match in Northern?Lakes Conference play, and they made it count. “It’s great,” said Wawasee coach Steve Coverstone. “The girls really came through and played well. “Jadison Rostochak with a 47, that was her career best. I told her a week ago that she was playing bad, in the high-50s. A lot of times you go through a slump right before you’re ready to make an improvement, and she made the improvement tonight.” Madison Beaman led Wawasee with a 44, while Aubrey Schmeltz and Rostochak carded 46 and 47, respectively. Zoe White shot 57 for the Lady Warriors, while Lesley Tayagua rounded out the lineup with a 60. “Zoe stayed with it after she had a bad night last night, a 75,” said Coverstone. “She made a 9 on a hole tonight, and I thought she was done, but she ended up at 57. “Madison, with a 44, played solid. Aubrey, with a 46, she had a really bad start. She had three 3-putts in a row to start the round. The girls just hung in there and gutted it out.” With a 49, Izzy Ray was the only Warsaw player under 50. Delaney Wihebrink and Madelyn Ray shot 50s, while Madi Graham and Page Desenberg finished with 52s. “The positive is, our emotions were in check tonight,” said Warsaw coach Tad Nieter, whose team’s average is 187. “I think that’s one thing that we kind of struggled with early on this year. The girls did a good job of keeping their composure even though this week has been a grind for them. They’re doing well with that. “That’s golf right there ... you get those weeks. It’s just odd because it seems like all five of our players are going through the slump right now, which doesn’t happen often. I told my assistant coach I’m happy to see the girls grinding it out, they’re staying patient. It’s just one of those things, you just gotta grid your way through it.” Warsaw fell to 7-4 overall and 1-3 in the NLC, while Wawasee improved to 9-4 and 4-1. The Lady Warriors are in action again Tuesday at McCormick Creek against NorthWood and Northridge. Warsaw also hits the road for its next match, playing NLC?foe Plymouth Wednesday. To go with King’s 39, Memorial got a 53 from Kelsey Weaver and 57s from Micah Baker, Lily Ball and Cat Underly.
WAWASEE 194, WARSAW 201, ELKHART MEMORIAL 206 (Maxwelton G.C., Syracuse) Medalist – Courtney King (EM) 39 Wawasee – Madison Beaman 44, Aubrey Schmeltz 46, Jadison Rostochak 47, Zoe White 57, Lesley Tayagua 60 Warsaw – Izzy Ray 49, Delaney Wihebrink 50, Madelyn Ray 50, Madi Graham 52, Page Desenberg 52 Memorial – Courtney King 39, Kelsey Weaver 53, Micah Baker 57, Lily Ball 57, Cat Underly 57 Warsaw JV – Grayson Kilburn 50, Miriam Hagg 58, Madison Martz 60, Valerie Messmore 64, Cassidy Good 77 Wawasee JV – Valerie Haessig 64
