Three for third

CELINA, Ohio — The Patriots’ three seniors have been the leaders of the team all season.

They were among the best in the conference Saturday.

The Jay County High School girls golf team had three earn all-conference honors in helping the squad take third in the Allen County Athletic Conference championships at Celina Lynx Golf Club.

“I’m ecstatic,” said first-year JCHS girls golf coach Trisha Green. “That’s great for them. We were all rooting for them.

“We are coming down to the last stretch here. It was a long, tough, mental day. We’re really happy with the finish.”

Heritage, which was also crowned round-robin champion, won the conference title for the third consecutive year with its score of 385. Southern Wells shot 416 for second, and Jay County totaled 427 for third.

“We had high goals,” Green said. “Obviously I’d like to come out here and win because I like to win. I’m very happy with third. It was a tough day.”

The top seven individuals earn first team All-ACAC honors, while those placing eighth through 14th are named second team.

Abby Huey had the Patriots’ shot of the day, chipping in for birdie on the 340-yard, par-4 third hole. She then made par on the next, and made the turn with a 47. She had 53 on the back nine to finish with 100 for fifth overall and a spot on the All-ACAC first team.

Huey was the clubhouse leader with Heritage and Southern Wells still needing to report their scores. As they started to trickle in, Huey’s score kept getting pushed down the leaderboard.

Huey improved her score by one stroke and one place from her junior season, joining former teammate Mackenzie Parks, Cara Garringer and her coach as Patriots golfers to earn all-conference honors in consecutive seasons.

Garringer was runner-up in the Olympic Athletic Conference in 2008 and was third a year later. Green, née Champ, placed fourth in the OAC in 2004 and was the runner-up the next two seasons.

Erika Heitkamp shaved 10 strokes off her score during the conference tournament a year ago to shoot 102, which gave her eighth place and a spot on the all-conference second team. Heitkamp made par three times, more than any other Patriot on Saturday.

“Erika Heitkamp played consistent golf all day,” Green said.

Heitkamp’s score matched that of Southern Wells’ Kayleigh Jones, but Jones got the higher spot because of the handicap tiebreaker.

Raquel Wehrly, the Patriots’ third and final senior, shot 108 to take 10th overall and make second team All-ACAC in back-to-back years.

Jacqueline Smith was the Patriots’ No. 4 golfer on the day, and she ended with 117.

“I don’t think the girls realize how good they are,” said Green, whose team competes in the sectional tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday at Crestview Golf Course in Muncie. “I think this is a great confidence booster. To get 18 holes in the weekend before (sectional) is going to get their momentum going.

“Hopefully this gets them competitive and realizing they can do well.

Paityn Chapman also competed for Jay County, and her 133 did not factor into the team score.

Georgia Hanauer of Southern Wells repeated as the individual champion. She shot 91, matching that of Heritage’s Shelby Schane, but Hanauer won on the tiebreaker.

Other first team All-ACAC honorees were Carley Rodenbeck (Heritage), Ashley Buuck (Heritage), Cassidy Myers (Heritage) and Mary Jones (Adams Central).

Also making the All-ACAC second team were Ryleigh Johnson (Bluffton), Alivia Smith (Bluffton), Amber Buuck (Heritage) and Gracie Meeks (Southern Wells).