GRANGER — Dan Mentock’s South Bend Saint Joseph girls golf team finally has reached the summit, at least as it pertains to golf in St. Joseph County.
The 20th-ranked Huskies, who have played second fiddle to No. 14 Penn in the state high school coaches poll for most of the season, showed once again Friday why they deserve a little more attention.
After winning the Northern Indiana Conference tournament from the Kingsmen two weeks ago in a tiebreaker, the Huskies earned a two-stroke victory Friday, 350-352, over tourney host Penn to win the Indiana High School Athletic Association girls golf sectional on the East Course of Knollwood Country Club.
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Saint Joseph, Penn and surprising Trinity School at Greenlawn, which totaled 439, now advance to the regional next Saturday at tough Sandy Pines Golf Club in DeMotte.
“I think we were very motivated today,” said first-year coach Mentock, whose team was led by its No. 2 player, freshman Lucy Dunham, who took medalist honors with a seven-over-par 79, one stroke ahead of Penn’s No.1 player, junior Scarlett Biever. “We been right close to Penn all year — back and forth. I think we were ready to take that next step and to take over this championship.”
The victory ended Penn’s 16-year reign as sectional champion.
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“This one stung a little bit,” first-year Penn coach Brian Matthews said. “My girls were swinging better than they ever had. We just lost a lot of strokes on the greens today.”
Knollwood’s rolling greens, with some difficult pin placements, were slick and fast, the result of a lack of rain from Mother Nature the last couple of weeks. By the time Mother Nature decided to play through late in Friday’s round — a passing thunderstorm interrupted play for more than hour — the Huskies had done most of their damage and were in control.
“Given the medalist honors went to a freshman,” Mentock continued, “that was big. Lucy played really well. It was tough going — there were a lot of difficult pin placements. The putting was really difficult.”
Dunham’s effort was followed by an 87 from junior sister Marley (Saint Joseph’s No. 1 player). No. 5 Reese Hull, a sophomore, shot 91 followed by No. 4 junior Bella Jeffrey’s 93 and No. 3 junior Sydney Schmeltz’s 96.
“Yes, we wanted to make a statement today,” Lucy Dunham said. “We were ready to fight (for the victory) when we got here.”
Mentock likes the growth the younger Dunham has made this season.
“To be able to come in as a freshman and have the poise that she has speaks volumes,” he said. “She was very, very quiet at the beginning of the year. As the year has progressed, she has gotten very vocal and become one of the leaders on the team. She and Marley are very, very competitive with each other — they push each other and that has worked out well for us.”
Matthews’ top two players, juniors Biever and Clare Tobin, just couldn’t get on track. After the storm had passed, Biever finished off a round of 80, which was six better than Tobin. No. 4 junior Lilly Norris shot an 88, 10 better than No. 3 junior Nina Bauer. Sophomore No. 5 Alaina DeMeyer shot 102.
While disappointed with the runner-up finish, Matthews knows the most important thing was accomplished — the Kingsmen qualified for next Saturday’s regional at tough Sandy Pines Golf Club in DeMotte. A year ago, Biever, Tobin and Norris played for the Kingsmen’s regional title team coached by Katie Bella that won by 19 strokes.
“We’ve got some veterans who have played over there before,” Matthews said. “We had an off day today. Our girls are fired up to go win regional now.”
Joining the Huskies and Kingsmen at Sandy Pines next Saturday will be surprising Trinity School at Greenlawn. The young program, led by head coach Mike Gionfriddo and former Michigan State standout Katie Sharp, an assistant at Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course, finished with a 439 total, nine strokes better than South Bend Adams.
Junior No. 3 Annie Palmer led the Titans with a 106, three strokes better than No. 4 classmate Magnolia Cory and four strokes ahead of No. 1 senior Morgan Scroope. No. 2 Jada Bush shot 114.
Joining the three teams will be three individuals. Marian junior Celia Florkowski, who qualified last year as an individual, shot an 87, an improvement of 11 strokes from 2023. That was two strokes better than South Bend Adams’ Katharine Swain, the NIC Tournament’s medalist. The third individual spot belongs to South Bend Riley senior Lexington Jenkins, who shot 104.
At Knollwood Country Club, East Course (par 72, 5,314 yards)
Qualifying teams
1. South Bend Saint Joseph (350): Marley Dunham 87, Lucy Dunham 79, Sydney Schmeltz 96, Bella Jeffrey 93, Reese Hull 91.
2. Penn (352): Scarlett Biever 80, Clare Tobin 86, Nina Bauer 98, Lilly Norris 88, Alaina DeMeyer 102.
3. Trinity School at Greenlawn (439): Morgan Scroope 110, Jada Bush 114, Annie Palmer 106, Magnolia Cory 109, Lily Angst 127.
Medalist
79: Lucy Dunham (South Bend Saint Joseph)
Qualifying individuals
87: Celia Florkowski (Mishawaka Marian)
89: Katharine Swain (South Bend Adams)
104: Lexington Jenkins (South Bend Riley)
Did not qualify as team
4. South Bend Adams (448): Katharine Swain 89, Keira Kinney 114, Willa Krichiff 112, Jasmine Li 135, Ava Sweazy 133.
5. Elkhart (454): Laci Stimac 111, Rhianna Whitaker 111, Ashlynn Sessler 116, Elizabeth Higgins 116, Bailey Harris-Rogers 118.
6. Mishawaka Marian (461): Celia Florkowski 87, Lillian Fleming 118, Madilyn Brough 126, Christine Reeves 130.
7. Mishawaka (490): Grace Overmyer 110, Ava Stopczynski 124, Lilly Wittner 123, Layla Tibbs 133.
8. Jimtown (524): Nora Hochstetler 130, Cecilia Grove 122, Brooklyn King 144, Katelynn Shellito 134, Thea Hutsell 138
T9. South Bend Riley (NTS): Lexington Jenkins 104, Dellancey Jenkins 122, Amelia Marek 135.
T9. South Bend Washington (NTS): Kayla Sawdon 118, Camryn Weber 137.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Saint Joe tops Penn in IHSAA girls golf sectional, ending 16-year reign
