Parks takes fourth, Jay second

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By CHRIS SCHANZ

The Commercial Review

CELINA, Ohio — Once again, Heritage was the champion.

And once again, a Jay County golfer finished among the best in the conference.

Mackenzie Parks was fourth overall Saturday, helping the Jay County High School girls golf team take second place in the Allen County Athletic Conference tournament at Celina Lynx.

It marked the second time in as many years Parks, a senior, was first team All-ACAC. The top seven individuals earn a first-team nod while those placing eighth through 14 are named to the second team.

“Before we were in the ACAC I don’t remember anybody doing that,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray, whose team was the runner-up to Heritage for the second consecutive season. “It’s an honor. It doesn’t happen very often. It’s something she should cherish and I know it’s something she’ll look back on as being very special.”

The last JCHS girls golfer to earn all-conference honors in back-to-back years was Cara Garringer, who was the runner-up in the Olympic Athletic Conference in 2008 and placed third in 2009. Trisha Champ was the OAC runner-up in 2005 and ’06 after placing fourth in 2004.

Heritage ran away with its third straight team championship with its score of 377. Jay County was a distant second with 411, and Bluffton shot 422 for third.

“About where I thought we would be as a team,” Gray added.

Parks had one par on the front nine holes and made the turn at 50 for Jay County’s second-best score through the first nine holes. She began the back with three consecutive pars, including the 95-yard par-3 12th hole, and went into the clubhouse having shot 46 on the back nine and 96 overall. Parks improved two individual places from where she finished as a junior.

“When I happened to see her she had problems,” Gray said, noting how Parks always seems to finish at or near her score from Saturday. “She’s pretty consistent right there.”

Abby Huey had a strong showing from the No. 3 spot in the Patriots’ lineup. After having a rough two holes to start her round, she made birdie on the par-4 first hole and made par on three of her last five holes, including the 437-yard par-5 13th, which is the second-longest on the course. Her total of 48 on the front nine was the best on the team.

Her round of 101 was good enough for sixth overall and first-team All-ACAC accolades.

Raquel Wehrly finished even on two holes on her way to a 105, which was 14th overall and the last qualifying spot for second-team all-conference.

“I know that Abby … she birdied that first hole and that really picked her up mentally,” Gray said. “Raquel was just grinding. I watched her, she just seemed like she was really grinding to get things going.

“To see her get a 105 and get that (second-team honor) was really nice.”

Eden Basford shot 109 to complete the Patriots’ team total. Erika Heitkamp also competed and shot 112.

“Just need the others to come through and we need to peak a little bit when it comes to sectional,” Gray said.

Georgia Henaur of Southern Wells was the individual champion with her score of 85. Heritage’s Abby Sheehan was two strokes behind as the runner-up, and her teammate Carley Rodenbeck shot 92 for third.

Other first team all-ACAC honorees were Ashley Buuck and Shelby Schane of Heritage.

Earning second team were Millie Gaskill (South Adams), Cassidy Myers (Heritage), Amaris Moser (Bluffton), Maggie Evans (South Adams), Olivia Johnson (Bluffton) and Becky Larrabee (Adams Central).