Staff report
Salisbury golfers easily defended their Rowan County title, and they’re looking good as far as the big picture as well.
“The goal from the beginning has been to get five girls to the state tournament, and if they play as well as they did today, we’ll qualify them in a heartbeat,” Salisbury coach Dale Snyder said.
Five of the top six golfers in Wednesday’s 18-hole tournament were Hornets, including county champion Allison Lee, who fired a solid 78 and closed with a flourish. She made a birdie on No. 18.
West Rowan’s Katie Knepp joined Salisbury’s Lee, Catherine Parks, Madison Kennedy, Amber Lyerly and Lily Yatawara on the all-county team.
The top three compile a team score in girls golf, and Lee, Parks (87) and Kennedy (88) combined to give the Hornets a total of 253.
South Rowan shot 295. South’s Desirae Overcash and Lauren Helms shot 98s. Courtney Barbee shot 99.
Led by Knepp’s 86, West shot 300, but West’s score wasn’t reflective of how well the Falcons played this year. Alex Mills, usually one of West’s top two, was injured earlier this week. She gave it a try Wednesday but pain forced her to retire early.
East Rowan has only two golfers and couldn’t register a team score. Samantha Haviland shot 97 for the Mustangs.
Carson and North Rowan aren’t competing this year.
“But the sport is growing statewide and we’re gonna keep building this thing,” Snyder said. “It was great today to see not just our girls hitting the ball well, but to see how much girls around the county have improved.
“We didn’t get to see them this year, but that first group with West’s Knepp, South’s Overcash and East’s Haviland was very impressive. They struck the ball well.”
Lee, who has committed to Winthrop, cruised to the individual title.
“When Allison came off the course, she’s said she’s never been mad about a 78, but she knew she could have done better on a couple of holes,” Snyder said. “Allison’s just consistent, always very consistent. She made three double-bogeys, but she also made quite a few pars.”
Snyder said Parks and Kennedy struck the ball well enough to score in the low 80s with ordinary luck, but Parks had a cold putter and Kennedy had issues with the trees on a couple of holes and had to give up shots punching out of trouble.
“Both girls kind of limped home down the stretch,” Snyder said. “But both played better than their scores indicate.”
Snyder was enthusiastic about the performances turned in by Lyerly and Yatawara, players who haven’t frequently competed in 18-hole tournament formats.
“This was relatively new to them, but they got some great experience,” he said. “Amber shot a 43 after she made the turn at 47. Lily had nice consistency with two 45s.”
The next challenge for the Hornets, who won state titles in 2005 and 2006 and placed third in 2007, is Monday morning’s 1A/2A/3A regional tournament at Cedar Rock in Lenoir.
“That’s a very difficult course,” Snyder said. “It will be a tough test.”