By Mark Carpenter
The 2020 golf season for the girls teams in Adams County came to a close in sectional tournament play on Monday, Sept. 28 at the Jaycees Golf Course in Chillicothe. Unfortunately, none of the four Adams County teams or any of their individual players were able to move on into district competition. In sectional play for girls, the top three teams and the top three individuals not on one of those teams earn the right to advance.
Fresh off their Southern Hills Athletic Conference championship, the North Adams Lady Devils were Adams County’s top finisher in the Division II sectional, coming in sixth place out of the 18 teams who were able to score. The Lady Devils were led by senior Brooklyn Tolle in what turned out to be her final high school outing. Tolle narrowly missed another trip to district play, placing fourth in the individuals to advance, missing by one spot while shooting a 86 (42-44) in the 18-hole tournament.
North Adams also had four other golfers on the course for the sectional tourney: Jessie Crawford-100 (46-54), Rachel Bolen-102 (57-45), Dakotah Davis-129 (63-66), and Hailey Brannock- 157 (74-83).
Seventh overall in the team standings went to the Manchester Lady Greyhounds, paced by freshman Taylor Ralston. In the first sectional tournament of her sparkling career, Ralston shot a 90 (46-44) placing her 12th in the individual field. Other Lady Hounds who competed in the sectional were: Kileigh Mitchell- 97 (50-47), Grace Hackney- 100 (54-46), Mary Wickerham- 135 (66-69), and Lexi Nixon- 145 (75-70).
Ninth in the team standings went to the West Union Lady Dragons, who were led by sophomore Payton Stapleton who finished the 18-hole tourney with a score of 101 (51-50). The young Lady Dragons also got scores of 106 from freshman Lauren Hoop (53-53), 115 from sophomore Clare Stapleton (57-58), 119 from freshman Korynne Blanton (59-60), and 132 from junior Sofie Teeter (69-63).
The Peebles Lady Indians placed 14th overall in the team standings, led by a score of 101 from junior Carrington McGlothin (53-48). Also on the Jaycees Course for the Lady Indians were McKarlee Cooper- 111 (59-52), Lydia Phipps- 128 (67-61), and Vanessa Trotter- 169 (83-86).
For the county teams and their coaches, preparations for what shapes up as a very interesting 2021 season will begin, with the experienced North Adams squad losing three solid seniors in Tolle, Crawford, and Bolen, while the other three county squads will return their entire teams next fall.
Div. II Sectional Team Standings: Crooksville 359, Sheridan 376, Westfall 378, Circleville 398, Fairfield Union 406, North Adams 417, Manchester 422, Greenfield McClain 438, West Union 441, Piketon 442, Zane Trace 451, Lynchburg-Clay 494, Logan Elm 502, Peebles 509, Eastern Brown 511, Huntington Ross 531, Waverly 540, Washington 566