The high school golf Regional is one of the most exciting days on the MHSAA calendar every year. There is a ton of pressure on every swing because it’s one of those events that decides whether you have another event to play or go home. And it can come down to just a few missed putts, a bad chip, a drive that doesn’t go where you want it to, etc., etc., etc.
Some very strong golf programs teed it up on Tuesday at the MHSAA Division 1 Regional 2 at Polo Fields Golf and CC in Ann Arbor. And there was a mixture of celebration – Huron – and heartbreak – Pioneer – for two local teams.
Northville, who finished sixth at last year’s state finals, fired a tournament best score of 319 to finish first in the 10 team tournament. Huron shot a 358 to place second while Brighton secured the third spot with a score of 367.
The top three teams and the top three individual scores (not on the top three teams) advance to the D-1 State Finals Oct. 18-19 at Ferris State University.
Pioneer finished fourth with a team score of 382, only 15 strokes from the coveted third spot. Skyline placed fifth with a team score of 388 and Plymouth sixth (404).
Two freshmen and a sophomore fired the best individual scores on the day including Skyline’s Olivia Housler. The ninth-grader fired an 81 to earn a spot in the State Finals. Northville ninth-grader McKenzie Stevens had the top scorecard with a 79. Plymouth’s Annie Flavin (84) and Salem’s Brooke Resovsky (84) also qualified as individuals.
Huron’s young lineup included only one senior and was led by sophomore Ellise Baidel who carded an 80, just one shot off the best card of the tournament. The River Rats also had strong performances from junior Jennifer Tang (88), sophomore Tia Tarnal (94), senior Emmi Conrad (96) and junior Asia Shi (107).
Pioneer’s scorecard was led by junior Kyra Kahana (89), sophomore Lucy Grabowski (93), senior Vivian Shepherd (98), junior Danika Stone (102) and senior Anna Rettig (117).
Skyline sophomore Suriya Ailawadi shot a 94. Other Skyline players leading the way for the Eagles were three juniors: Kennedy Wassef (104), Vedha Kakarla (109) and Ellen Kuchinski (114).
