Cloverdale wraps season with 5th-place finish at sectional

Cloverdale senior Elizabeth Wardlow hits a shot from the fairway during a tournament earlier this season. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

Tigers Cubs, Eagles 6th and 8th

BRAZIL -- Terre Haute North edged hosts Northview by two strokes 366-368 with Terre Haute South finishing third on 381 at the Northview girls' golf sectional held at Forest Park Golf Course on Saturday. All three schools advanced to the Roncalli Regional held at Smock Golf Course next Saturday.

Cloverdale finished fifth overall in the team standings with a strong round of 403, Greencastle finished sixth with a 429 and South Putnam eighth at 460.

Coaching the Clovers on Saturday was Doug Wokoun, the CHS boys' coach who filled in for girls' head coach Matthew Langdon.

South Putnam senior Clair Perry hits a drive during a match earlier this year. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

"Matthew has done a great job with these girls and they've built up at the right time," Wokoun said. "They all came together and played very, very well today."

Sophomore Harlee Fuetter led CHS with a round of 90, enough for the second-highest score for an individual on a non-qualifying team to qualify her for Saturday's regional.

Senior MaKayla Moore finished at 95, one stroke from qualifying herself. Other scores from the Clovers included 101 from junior Anna Spencer, 117 from freshman Abbie Speas and 121 from senior Elizabeth Wardlow.

Fuetter's round was an 18-hole career-best and the rounds from Spencer and Speas both included a nine-hole personal best.

Northview's Kiersten Mikesell earned medalist honors with a round of 84, followed by Terre Haute North's Megan Ramer on 87 and South Vermillion's Tori Vitaniemi's 88.

Cloverdale opened its round on the back nine. Wokoun said getting the more difficult half of the course in early played into Cloverdale's hands.

"It was an advantage for them to play the back nine first because it is a little bit tougher from the ladies' tees and the girls had to fight their way through some things," Wokoun said. "When they got to the front, which was a little easier, they were in the grove of things. They started hitting shots, got excited and that carried on through."

Greencastle finished sixth behind the Clovers, led by junior Lauren Bridgewater's 97. Senior Liz Johnson finished with a 102, followed by sophomore Lokysa Scheuermann at 105, freshman Alexa Newlin with 125 and freshman Alex Weliever at 144.

"We were a little disappointed that our top three girls didn't play a little better," GHS head coach Bob Hedge said. "We thought we might be able to advance as individuals, but all-in-all it was a very good season with a conference win and coming so close in the county tourney."

Hedge said he was also pleased with the season of his lone senior, Liz Johnson.

"I am very proud of Liz," he said. "Winning the county in her senior year, especially doing it in a playoff."

South Putnam was led by senior Kyndra Boyce's 95. Freshman Alicia Haywood carded 118, followed by junior Carlee Schlatter's 123, senior Clair Perry's 124 and junior Allacyn Arnold's 138.

South Putnam co-head coach Gloria Curtis said that the round highlighted some of the strengths and weaknesses of the squad this season.

"I thought they played well," Curtis said. "I think they stayed where they have been all year. They have improved some and I think it's been a pretty good year for us.

"I think we held our own pretty well. We've had some highs and some lows. Some shot around average and some shot under where they had been. It was a hard year for them but all in all, it's been a good year.

"(Coaching) has been very enjoyable. It's been a blessing to be able to do this."

At Forest Park Golf Course, Brazil
IHSAA Girls' Golf Sectional
Team Scores
Terre Haute North 366, Northview 368, Terre Haute South 381, South Vermillion 399, Cloverdale 403, Greencastle 429, Rockville 453, South Putnam 460, West Vigo DNA