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Run of tourneys prepares girls golf team for sections
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Wednesday, 21 May 2008
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Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor
This spring has been a series of close calls for the girls golf team, as Forest Lake inches up to its potential, but then shows it still has room to improve.
Last week the Rangers had three tournaments, which left head coach Joel Hall whistling a familiar tune of “Could have been,” as he put it.
Except for Wednesday in Red Wing.
Though his team tied for fourth place with Irondale at 352, Hall said he and his golfers were happy with their performance, as the score was five strokes below their average.
Betsy Kelly was the medalist with a 76, and she was followed by Mallory Messin at 89, Emily Wislicenus at 90, Brittany Seifert at 97, and Lauren Gravelle and Katie Nowicki at 99.
“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever been in an invite with a team where everybody shot under 100, so that’s something else to build on,” Hall said.
On the way to winning the tourney, Kelly had a few disagreements with her putter, which put her in a playoff against Lizzy Carl of Henry Sibley, who took second in the state in Class AA last year.
A birdie on the playoff hole gave the title to Kelly.
“Betsy continues to play well,” Hall said. “Her putting, if she can figure it out, she would be shooting par or better every time she played.”
And in terms of the Rangers’ overall score, Hall was more than satisfied.
“Right now I’m not worried about who’s playing better than us, whatever. It’s that we’re improving in our scores and that was good to see today. They had fun and it was a good success.”
The next day
After their solid effort in Red Wing, most of the girls traveled to Willingers for the Northfield Invitational, but Hall said, “it was not our best effort.”
Forest Lake was fourth again, but this time it was with a score of 368.
Nowicki and Gravelle had the day off, allowing Katie Stout (109) and Taylor Lipp (102) to compete in a varsity match.
Kelly had some difficulties on the back nine (35-47), but still led the team with an 82.
“Mallory shot 86 and played well, just didn’t make any putts,” Hall shared.
Wislicenus finished with a 98 and Seifert shot 102.
“It was a great course, with a ton of water, so it will be good to have seen it and hopefully next year we’ll bring a little more of our game,” Hall said.
Moving on
Monday was a forgettable afternoon for the Rangers, as the girls shot a horrendous 202 at Mounds View to take fifth place.
“Well, the weather was terrible, the golf was not up to snuff, but the course looked great,” Hall said. “The girls had their worst nine-hole event since I have been coaching them.”
Kelly earned medalist honors with a 40, while Messin shot 49, Wislicenus 56, Nowicki 57, Seifert 58 and Gravelle 63.
“It was a tough day to say the least,” Hall concluded. “It is one we’ll try and forget before Wednesday (the first day of sections).”
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