NOBLESVILLE — With two top-five teams in the state competing in the Noblesville Sectional, advancing onto the regional is never an easy task for Lapel and Pendleton Heights.
Heading into Monday’s tournament at Harbour Trees Golf Club, No. 2 ranked Noblesville and No. 5 ranked Hamilton Southeastern were expected to grab two of the three regional qualifying spots, leaving nine other teams to battle for the final position.
The Millers and Royals did just that, taking first and second with scores of 308 and 318 respectively.
For third, and a team spot in Saturday’s Lapel Regional, the Bulldogs held off both Fishers and the Arabians. Their team score of 378 was eight better than Fishers (386) and 16 ahead of the Arabians (394).
Leading the way for the Bulldogs was their sophomore duo of Jane Armington and Annabelle Marshall.
The pair each fired rounds of 81 to help push the Bulldogs into a top-three position. The scores were tied for seventh among all competitors.
Jordi Pilkington (106), Claire Humerickhouse (110) and Chloe Sasser (115) did just enough in the three, four and five spots to fend off the competition.
After firing a 42 on the front nine, Marshall responded on the back with six pars and three bogeys for a three-over-par 39. Armington shot a 40 on the front and on the following nine, a seven on the 14th hole pushed her back-nine score to 41.
Although they placed fifth, Pendleton Heights will still have representation alongside Lapel at Saturday’s tournament. Freshman Bella Shetterley earned the final individual qualifying spot with a score of 91. The top two spots went to Tipton’s Josephine Butler (82) and Kennedy Lancaster (84).
Shetterley held off Hamilton Heights’ Taylor Morrison by one stroke and Fishers’ Sophia Rush by two shots to keep her season alive.
Following Shetterley for the Arabians was Zoe Lawrence (96), Morgan Bricker (103), Leila Reef (104) and Addison Summerall (117).
Shetterley and the Bulldogs will compete on Saturday at 9 a.m. at Lapel’s Edgewood Golf Club.
The top three teams and the top three individuals on non-qualifying teams will earn their spot in the state finals.
