Denney places second

FARMLAND — Abby Denney could not have asked for a much better start to her season.
The Jay County High School senior opened the 2010 girls golf campaign with an 87 Monday at the Richmond Invitational, improving upon her score from last season by 13 strokes. She followed that effort Tuesday by matching her career-best nine-hole score with a 39 to finish second at the Monroe Central Invitational.
Denney’s 3-over-par total at Hickory Hills Golf Club led the Patriots to a team score of 222 and a fifth-place finish out of nine teams. No. 16 Yorktown won the tournament with a 167, finishing 22 strokes ahead of runner-up Delta.
South Adams was last in the field with a 268.
After a double-bogey on the fourth hole, Denney closed her round strong. She finished with five consecutive pars, including one on the 120-yard, par-3 eighth hole that has a pond in play and often causes players trouble.
She and Tara Clark of Yorktown each finished at 39, but Denney won a playoff to earn the runner-up spot. She was three strokes behind Yorktown medalist Kennedy Windlan.
Whitney Gray had the No. 2 score for the Patriots, who were playing without seniors Cara Garringer and Macey Gerber for the second straight day. She had one bogey in her round of 57.
Brittany Stevens played even on the 246-yard, par-4 seventh hole and also had a pair of bogeys as she shot 58. Alysia Fennig and Cortney Myers each shot 68.
Kristen Lehman was the only South Adams player to break 70 as she finished with a par on the 278-yard ninth hole to post a 59. Adrianne Pursley added a 70, Abbie Fisher shot 71 and Krystal All finished at 78.[[In-content Ad]]