Rain shortens season opener

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DECATUR — It rained on the way to the tournament.

It rained during the tournament.

But as the teams left for their respective schools, the precipitation lightened up.

It still had its lasting effects.

The fall sports season began in a short, difficult and soggy fashion on Tuesday as the Jay County and South Adams girls golf teams competed in the Bellmont Invitational at Cross Creek Golf Club that was cut short because of heavy rains.

“That's an understatement,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team tied for fifth in the 11-hole tournament.

While rain fell throughout the entire invitational, shortly after noon the skies opened up and dumped heavy rain on the players. Cross Creek superintendent Terry Laurent blew his horn signaling the tournament to be postponed. Laurent and the coaches attempted to wait out the rain, but decided to end play instead.

So officials were tasked with totaling up scores of the 11 holes all eight teams completed; one through eight and 16 through 18.

Angola, which also had the top three individuals, won the team title with 211. Host Bellmont was runner-up with 245 and Norwell totaled 249 for third.

South Adams scored 282 for seventh.

“Happy with the way the girls hung in there today,” Gray said. “(Monday at practice) it drizzled and we talked about possibly playing in it.

“Didn't know we were going to be playing (in a) constant (rain), then it got tough in the end.

Senior Sierra Caster, Jay County's No. 5 golfer, was the only Patriot to complete her 18-hole round.

Her adjusted score of 79 did not factor into the team total.

Erika Heitkamp, a sophomore who played at No. 3, led the team with a 67, just missing the top 15 overall individual spots to earn a medal.

Classmate Raquel Wehrly was two strokes behind, and junior Mackenzie Parks scored 71.

Playing from the No. 1 spot, sophomore Abby Huey rounded out the team total with 72.

“I'm happy with what they did and what they showed,” Gray said. “It's a building process.”

Still, the rain did its damage to the Patriots and Starfires.

“I don't know what there is to tell them,” Gray said of preparing his team for rain. “Each one handles it differently. I've had some kids that handle the rain great. I've had some kids that it just totally messes them up.

“As I watched them they just went on and did what they could do and handled it. It's a mental thing.”

Shayla Welch was the top golfer for South Adams as she finished 14th overall with a 66. Katie Stiltner was second on the team with 69, and Millie Gaskill shot 70 for third. Maggie Evans' total of 77 completed the team score.

Angola's Gabby Kelly and Maddie Herman led all players with 51, and their teammate Teryn Stanley was third overall with 52.

South Adams hosts Jay County and others in the Starfire Invitational at 9 a.m. Wednesday at Wabash Valley Golf Club in Geneva. With more rain expected in the forecast, Gray hopes the experience from the season-opener will help them.

“Take what it gives you and try not to do more than you're capable of doing,” he said.