Two Arabians and a Bulldog advance to golf regional

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ANDERSON–The golf seasons came to an end Saturday for Pendleton Heights and Lapel as both teams came up short in sectional play. But each will be represented at Saturday’s regional, hosted by Lapel at The Edge, as three players scored well enough to advance as individuals.

Lapel junior Kristen Hobbs and PHHS sophomore Danielle Tinsley were the top advancing individuals at their respective sectionals Saturday and will compete for a chance to move on to the state meet next weekend.

In sectional play, the top three teams advance along with the low three individuals not already advancing with a team. Both Lapel and Pendleton Heights placed fourth, the Bulldogs at Noblesville and the Arabians at Mt. Vernon.

Pendleton Heights senior Kiersten Maxwell also advanced as her 97 was good enough for third best individual score at the Mt. Vernon sectional, held at the west course at Old Oakland in Indianapolis.

Hobbs, who missed advancing to the state meet by just three strokes as a sophomore, posted the fifth best individual score at Harbour Trees in Noblesville, but the top four players were with teams that advanced. Her 78 was a model of consistency, shooting a 38 on the front nine and 40 on the back.

Lapel junior Kristen Hobbs will be one of the favorites to advance at Saturday's regional after shooting a 78 in sectional play.
Lapel junior Kristen Hobbs will be one of the favorites to advance at Saturday’s regional after shooting a 78 in sectional play. (Photo credit: Stephen Wright)

“I think she’s definitely got state as her goal,” Lapel coach Molly Bays said. “She’s been working really hard all summer and this fall. She is really determined to get there. She was hitting the ball really well, she hit almost all the fairways.”

She was nearly joined by not one, but two teammates at regional. Junior Lauren Lutz shot a 92, missing out on a playoff for the third transfer position by one stroke, and freshman Sierra Campbell was just two shots behind Lutz. The team score of 365 would have advanced through 22 of the 30 sectionals and been good enough to win titles at four sectionals. But at Noblesville, it was good enough for fourth.

“I was really proud of the way the team played,” Bays said. “That was close to the best we’ve played this year. It’s kind of hard to take when you see other schools at the regional that we’re hosting that we could’ve beaten, but that’s just the way it goes. All the girls played nearly their best golf of the year.”

Bays says playing at her home course gives Hobbs a sense of comfort and familiarity but, with career struggles at the par-three 7th and 8th holes, nothing is being taken for granted.

“Being at home, sometimes that’s good and sometimes that’s bad,” Bays said. “You have those holes that are on your mind that you struggle with. We’re going to work on those holes this week and make sure she’s confident in those.”

The Arabians also played their best round of the season, breaking 400 for 18 holes for the first time this year with a 397. As a team, they were three strokes shy of advancing.

Tinsley showed some strength in her putter as she shot +2 on the four par-threes, including even par on three of those holes en route to shooting a 91 on the day. PHHS coach Hilary Slick said Tinsley’s round could have been even better.

“She was struggling with her driver,” Slick said. “She was spraying her driver and I think that’s why her score was higher than she wanted. Her putter was working well.”

Maxwell, meanwhile, is playing some of her best golf of the season at the right time. Slick says a concern of her senior was also the driver, but Maxwell found the solution before she ever took the course.

“She made the decision making on her own,” Slick said. “What she did to play better was she put the driver away. She said she’s not using her driver today, and I told her that was probably a good decision because it’s a very narrow course.”

Regional play in Anderson begins Saturday morning at 9 a.m.

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