Jay Co. drops opener

Although they ended up on the wrong end of the score, the Patriots had a solid day of golf in their first dual match.
Jay County carded a 212 Monday in its home opener at Portland Golf Club, falling to the visiting Anderson Indians (201).
Its best score in its four 18-hole invitational tournaments to open the season was a 417 at Hagerstown.
“I was happy,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray. “It was a nice night.”
Brittany Stevens led the Patriots (0-1) as she recorded the team’s only birdie of the day.
After a bogey on the 275-yard, par-4 first hole, the senior’s tee shot on the 113-yard, par-3 second landed near the front of the green and rolled to the top. The shot ended up near the top of the green and pin high, just six feet from the hole.
Stevens, whose best 18-hole score this season is a 104, nailed her putt for the birdie and later added a par on the 401-yard, par-5 sixth hole. She had two bogeys in her round on the way to a team-best 48.
“I felt good with Brittany shooting a 48,” said Gray. “I thought she hit the ball off the tee well from what I saw. She got the ball up and down a couple of times. … I don’t know if she knew (Anderson No. 1 player Morgan Nadaline) was a pretty good player, but she handled the pressure well.
“I watched (Stevens) on six. She hit her third shot on the green, putted it down and just putted it in like it was no big deal and made a par.”
Nadaline, a regional qualifier who shot 77 at the Anderson sectional last season and fell just three strokes short of a state berth, earned medalist honors for the Indians. She racked up four pars in the first five holes and went on to a 41.
Alysia Fennig, who had led the Patriots in their last three outings, followed Stevens with a 52. She had bogeys on the first and last two holes of her round, and also had one on the 290-yard, par-4 fourth hole.
“When she’s on she hits it pretty straight,” said Gray. “I’ve seen her save some scores with a hot putter. There were a few times when she had that round of 99 over at Hagerstown I saw her run in 20 footers.”
In just her second round of varsity action, Madison McCormick turned in the No. 3 score for Jay County. She came through with consecutive pars on the second hole and the 284-yard, par-4 third on the way to a 54.
Senior Cortney Myers completed the team score with a 58.
“Madison McCormick has got some athletic ability,” said Gray of the freshman, who shot 131 at the Muncie Central Invitational. “It’s just channeling it and … all the energy in the right direction.
“She hits the ball pretty straight when she’s hitting it well.”
Emily Parker followed Nadaline for Anderson with a 46. Morgan Wiley shot 52, and Shelby Lambert added a 62.
Also competing for Jay County were Katlin Petro, who had one par in a round of 61, and Whitney Gray with a 63.
Jay County will be on its home course again today at 4:30 p.m. to take on the Union Rockets. The team plays all of its home matches in a span of just nine days before heading on the road for the final three weeks of the season.
Gray said he’s happy with where is team stands and hopes they can build some momentum.
“They’re about where I expected them to be and maybe just a little bit better,” he said. “It will be interesting to see how we come back tomorrow night.
“I think it’s important (to play well at home). We have to know that we can shoot good scores, and know that we can do good things.”
In junior varsity action, Maddison Baughn posted a 65 for the Patriots.[[In-content Ad]]