Falcons defeat Jay

In their first home match, the Patriots did not play up to their capabilities.
On Tuesday, they made sure that didn’t happen again.
Jay County High School’s girls golf team fell 208-187 to the Winchester Golden Falcons at Portland Golf Club, but was still much improved over its previous two outings.
“I feel a lot better,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team shot 237 in its home opener Thursday and then 233 Monday against Wapahani and Monroe Central at Hickory Hills Golf Club. “I think we’re just getting to a point of relaxation and just playing. Hopefully I wasn’t putting too much pressure on them. But they have responded.”
Alysia Fennig shot 56 at Hickory Hills and was 6-over-par through two holes Tuesday, but came up with a par on the 420-yard, par-5 12th hole at PGC to get her round headed back in the right direction. She added a bogey on the 13th hole and then picked up consecutive pars on the 125-yard, par-3 15th and the 290-yard, par-4 16th.
Her approach on the 16th hole settled on the left side of the green. Her birdie putt missed just to the right of the cup, and then she tapped in for the par.
“I saw her relaxed,” said Gray of Fennig. “I saw her … keeping it in play. I saw her not getting herself (in trouble). She was making good judgments out on the course. I think the relaxation was the big thing …”
Fennig finished her round with three pars and two bogeys. She was eight strokes better than the previous night, finishing with a 48.
“I did a ‘happy skip’,” said Fennig of the improvement. “I felt better, and I know that I can do better next time because I know I still have some places that I can work on.
“I concentrated more. And I took my time. … And I didn’t rush through it …”
Jill Morrison, a senior who is committed to play basketball at Ball State next year, set the pace for Winchester. She played the 12th through 16th holes at 1-under par — her birdie came on the 520-yard, par-5 14th — and finished with a 39.
McKenzie Mehaffey followed with two pars and a birdie for a 41, and Mallory Chalfant shot 42. Jalisa Rush finished with a 65.
Abby Saxman, a newcomer to golf, followed Fennig for the Patriots with a career-best round.
Like Fennig, Saxman struggled on her first hole of the evening — the 268-yard, par-4 17th — but then got on track on her second.
Her tee shot on the 120-yard, par-3 18th hole rolled to within about five feet of the hole. Her birdie putt slid just left, and she hit her next attempt for the par.
“I don’t like 17, not at all,” said Saxman of her start. “I think once I start doing better my confidence goes up and I’m able to stay consistent with my strokes.”
The freshman added pars on the 12th and 101-yard, par-3 13th, and bogeyed the 15th. She posted a 52, surpassing the career-best score she set Aug. 14 against the Union Rockets at Maplewood Golf Club by seven strokes.
“What strides she’s made,” said Gray of Saxman, who had never played golf before getting on the course a few times this summer.
“She’s hitting the ball off the tee great.”
Gray said her deliberate, patient play has been key to her success.
“She’s done that since day one,” Gray added. “Now it’s just coming together. …
“Her pre-shot routine is good. It’s consistent.”
Whitney Gray recorded bogeys on five of her final six holes, just missing a par try on No. 18 as she finished one stroke behind Saxman. Maddison Baughn had one par and two bogeys on the way to a 55.[[In-content Ad]]