CARMEL, Ind. — There may never be another like Ashley Kirkland walk through the Castle High School girls golf program.
This isn’t overreacting in the moment. It’s backed up with quantifiable facts. Take a look at the state championship podium from the past three years. What Kirkland did for the Knights, between the tee boxes and beyond, will leave a lasting impact.
The ideal athlete to build a program around.
More: Castle, Memorial and two individuals from SW Indiana advance to girls golf state finals
The senior completed her prep career with a runner-up finish in the IHSAA state championship on Saturday at Prairie View Golf Club. It is the third straight season she earned a red medal on the final weekend. Kirkland is only the fourth in Indiana high school girls golf to finish second or better three times.
“There’s never going to be a player like Ashley,” said Castle coach Luke Richson. “Hopefully, we can grow that talent and find a player that naturally gifted who is willing to put hard work on it. Ashley is one of a kind.”
Not many could do what she did in the final round. Kirkland opened the tournament with a five-over 77 on Friday, a disappointing score for her standards, to leave her five shots behind. Many would lower their sights. Not Kirkland.
The Xavier commit made a run at the elusive state title with a special front nine. Following a three-putt bogey at 2, Kirkland birdied four in a six-hole stretch. The senior was inches from birdies on all six. The rest of the round didn’t reach those highs — Kirkland bogeyed 10 and birdied 17 — but the end result was a 3-under 69.
For the third straight year, she had the best second-round score in the field. Nobody hit the ball like she did.
“I was hitting every single pin,” said Kirkland. “All of my shots were good. I was so confident. For how I played, (the score) didn’t feel as good during it. That’s a really good score out here.”
Taylor Snively of Zionsville was the individual champion at even par to finish two ahead of Kirkland, the final margin victory shrunk by a triple bogey on the final hole. The Castle standout lamented how good her round nearly was — the putter was the enemy by the end. That’s golf. Every player could view a shot or two which could have gone different.
She will graduate without a state championship. It doesn’t diminish how her career should be viewed. Kirkland enjoyed team success — three top-10 finishes at the state championship, three sectional and two regional titles — to with her individual accolades. Kirkland was also selected as the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award winner.
“It was awesome to do that with a great team every single year,” said Kirkland. “And to help the younger ones and leave a good legacy for them. You don’t have to be the best. You can just improve every year. It was great to be apart of that.”
The Knights should remain contenders next season
There is no replacing an athlete like Kirkland, both her talent and worth to the team. This season did show why Castle will be on the shortlist to represent Southwest Indiana at Prairie View next year.
The Knights shot a final-round 342 to finish ninth and officially exceed their own preseason expectations. Kirkland did a lot of the heavy lifting, but the improvement throughout the lineup was noticeable. Leena Rice (82-86) finished 45th overall and becomes the Knights’ number one option. Deeya Patel and Emma Young also earned valuable experience.
Castle wants to string together successful seasons. The foundation has been laid to continue this path.
“Everyone has a few bogeys, doubles or triples,” said Richison. “I was glad to see these girls bounce back really well. (Kirkland) has been this role model for the players. They want to be like her. There’s no limit to the improvement they’ll make coming in next year.”
This trip to Prairie View was also valuable for Memorial
There’s no better teaching opportunity than hands-on experience. That’s the takeaway for the Tigers.
This weekend could help a young Memorial lineup next season after finishing 18th at the state finals. Four of its top five return after posting a two-day total of 825. A few struggled to adapt to Prairie View’s length and difficulty. A good reminder of what to do differently should they return.
The other way to view this weekend? Memorial was one of the final teams playing in the state. It earned this spot based on how it performed throughout the postseason. This year was a necessary building block.
“We’ve got one senior on the team,” said Memorial coach Tucker Smith. “And we’re here at state. The big thing is getting these girls who are young experience on this course. Get an idea of what state is all about.”
Abby Shires finished tied for 50th overall, an improvement from a year ago. The junior went 87-84 during the final weekend with the back nine at Prairie View causing problems. But her final round included a birdie and only one double bogey.
The team must replace Emi Hoagland (tied for 74th), a senior who provided stability and needed experience the last three weeks. Memorial could find itself here again if the lineup (Charlotte Hungate, Corinne Cooley, Maggie Rhymer) improves and Shires continues her upward path.
“We still have a lot of work to do if we want to compete at this level,” said Smith. “But (Abby) shows improvement every time. She showed a lot of grit. There were some tough holes and shots. She kept battling, turned the page and moved on to the next hole.”
Zionsville was the team champion at with a two-day 627 to defeat Noblesville by five shots. Haley Hughes of Gibson Southern finished tied for 34th. Mackenzie Mills of North Posey was 92nd overall.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: IHSAA girls golf: Ashley Kirkland finishes second at state finals
