Sep. 25—Madison Central’s Mollie Neeley had a two-shot lead — and was the only player under par — when play at the Region 9 Tournament was suspended because of lightning, thunder and rain on Tuesday evening.
She would have to wait until the following morning to resume her pursuit of a championship.
And that made for a long, restless night.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Neeley said. “I was too excited and too anxious. I just wanted to get back out here. I woke up at 6:45 a.m.”
Neeley picked up right where she left off when play resumed on Wednesday at the University Club at Arlington in Richmond.
The junior claimed the individual title with a -1, 71, beating out teammate Mackenzie Federspiel (E, 72) by just one shot.
All five Central players finished in the top 20.
Aubrey Barrow (78) tied for ninth, Amelia Harrel (81) tied for 15th and Haley Federspiel (84) tied for 15th.
Madison Central shot a +14, 302, to edge out LCA (303) by only one shot to earn the program’s first regional title since 2021. Franklin County (330) finished third.
Central and LCA move onto the semi-state next week in Somerset.
When play was halted on Tuesday, Neeley was in the lead.
The Lady Indians, though, were two shots behind LCA.
“I didn’t sleep either. I just wanted to get this finished,” Central coach Tennye Ohr said. “It just seemed like one long day. We finished and came out on top.”
Neeley had a bogey on No. 14, then drained a tough 9-foot par putt on No. 17.
Heading to the final hole with a one-shot lead, the junior received some calming words from Madison Central principal Brandon Fritz.
“He told me, ‘You’ve played this hole more than anyone out here. Just play it like you are out here with your dad and his friends,'” Neeley said. “I think that helped.”
The junior did just that.
A short par putt sealed the individual title and also the team title.
“We’ve battled them all season long,” Ohr said of LCA. “It prepared us well for today.”
Mackenzie Federspiel had an important birdie on No. 17 and Barrow had a birdie on No. 16 as the Lady Indians took the lead in the final few holes.
LCA’s Grace Soale (73) was third and Lexington Catholic’s Channing Hagen (75) was fourth.
Model Laboratory’s Whitley Combs shot a +24, 96, and placed 31st. Shelby Fields (104) tied for 41st. Emery Brewer shot a 107 and
Madison Southern’s Aysia Brock shot a +30, 102, and tied for 37th. Hailey Allen finished at 111 (52nd) and Haley McClure shot a 115 (54th).
Berea Community’s Maryn McDonald finished at 110 and placed 51st.
