DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
The day could not have gone much better for Adams County teams at the local golf sectional Friday.
With Homestead a lock to win by 60, 80 or even 100 strokes and the Norwell Knights reasonable favorites to claim the second team regional spot by a good margin, there was just one spot left to keep a full season alive for Bellmont, Adams Central or South Adams.
The three county teams finished 3rd-4th-5th and it was the Starfires who claimed the top prize, advancing to regional as a team for the first time since 2015.
There were consolation prizes, however, for the Bellmont Braves and Adams Central Jets. Ella Hockemeyer beat the entire field outside of the Homestead and Norwell players, claiming a spot at next Friday’s regional, and Londyn Smith took the final single spot with her round of 98, just one stroke behind Hockemeyer.
Homestead’s four scorers claimed the top four individual spots, with Caroline Burns and Breanna Noll tying for medalist honors with rounds of 80. Burns played as the No. 3 for the Spartans, showing the team’s depth with the same round as the No. 1.
Domenica Casini, the Spartans’ No. 2, shot an 81.
The Starfires’ fortuned hinged on their ace, Julia Arnold, at the front. She played consistently throughout the morning and into the afternoon for a 97, seventh-best in the field.
Four of the five players for South Adams scored lower on the back nine than on the front.
Megan Yoder had a birdie on the 14th hole for the Stars and she’ll have a chance at another one next week at Noble Hawk.
For Smith, the key was turning around a disappointing front nine, where she shot 52, to play near-bogey golf and finish ahead of Bellmont’s Kinley Martin, who was next in line to advance. Smith made eight bogeys and had just one double-bogey to make up her consistent final nine holes.
Hockemeyer went 49-48 to continue her season, making two pars in the final five holes to make sure she punched her ticket to Noble Hawk.
Heritage was led by a solid round by Aubree Rebeck with a 110, her best of the season for 18 holes.
Norwell’s Ellie Gatton caught fire on the back nine, shooting 41 to pace the Knights’ fine day.
Team Scores
Homestead 323, Norwell 394, South Adams 416, Adams Central 431, Bellmont 444, Heritage 466, Canterbury 476, Bishop Luers 502, New Haven 507, FW South Side 509, FW Wayne 523
South Adams: Julia Arnold 97, Brooklyn Green 102, Megan Yoder 112, Kendall Minger 106, Nora Ringger 111
Adams Central: Londyn Smith 98, Tenley Hendricks 108, Lilly Hurst 110, Lily Johnson 115, Sophie Johnson 123
Heritage: Alexis Bremer 117, Aubree Rebeck 110, Liz Buuck 120, Natalie Sorg 127, Aubrey Stoll 119
Norwell: Ellie Gatton 85, Savanna Simerman 97, Emma Burnau 104, Jessica Bynum 108, Jordyn Shroyer 110
Bellmont: Ella Hockemeyer 97, Morgan Huss 116, Kinley Martin 105, Ava Billman 126, Lyla Post 127
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