Just one shot away (09/22/2008)

BLUFFTON - Once was difficult enough to take. Falling one stroke short in back-to-back seasons is even worse.

Senior Jennifer Hunt and sophomore Abby Denney of the Jay County High School girls golf team each came up one shot short of a regional berth Saturday, shooting 98 at the sectional tournament at Timber Ridge Golf Course. Cara Garringer was just one stroke behind them.

"It was disappointing, especially for Abby. Abby took that 12 on (No. 14)," said JCHS coach Tom Ferguson. "If she had even taken an 11 she would have made it out."

The top three teams and top three individuals not on advancing teams earn spots in the regional tournament. The final individual to advance was Fort Wayne North Side's Megan Gregory, who shot 97.

It was the second straight season with a near miss for the Patriots. In 2007, then-senior Trisha Champ missed a regional berth by one stroke and Hunt fell short by two strokes.

Jay County was fifth as a team this year with a score of 398, finishing two strokes behind Canterbury. The team was sixth in each of the last two seasons, scoring 412 a year ago and 420 in 2006.

Homestead won the title at 368 and Norwell (374) and Bellmont (387) also advanced.

"We definitely had our opportunities," said Ferguson, whose team was one stroke ahead of the Bellmont Squaws at the turn. "We just were a couple of scores short. ... They played the back nine better. The back nine seems to be our nemesis over here.

"We had opportunities. All five of the girls could have played better."

Jay County was in position to advance after shooting a solid 190 on the front nine, with each of its top four players shooting in the 40s. But no one shot better than 50 on the back side, where the 14th hole proved fatal.

While Hunt came up with an even-par five, the rest of the squad struggled to play the hole at a combined 16-over-par. That included Denney's 12, which barely pushed her out of a regional berth.

The Patriots bounced back as four of their 13 pars and one of their two birdies came on the final three holes, but it was not enough. JCHS shot 208 on the back nine while Bellmont No. 3 player Mallorie Phegley posted a 40 to lead her team to a 193.

"We knew we had to break 400 to have a shot to get out. We did break 400, so that was a good goal that we did achieve as a team," said Ferguson. "The solid part was that our No. 3 and 4 girls came through for the most part. Obviously they all could have shot better ... but we gave ourselves an opportunity."

Denney got off to a great start with a birdie on the opening hole followed by consecutive bogeys.

She added a par on the par-5 fifth hole and three more bogeys for a team-best 45.

She struggled on the opening hole of the back nine, but went par-bogey-bogey on 11, 12 and 13 before taking the 12 on No. 14. She came up with a birdie on the 389-yard, par-5 17th hole, but took a double-bogey on the par-4 18th to finish a stroke short.

Hunt shot 48 on the front nine and just never put together enough of a run. She had three pars on the day, but put together back-to-back holes of bogey or better just twice.

Garringer matched Hunt's 48 on the front nine with pars on two of the final four holes. But other than a par on No. 11 she shot double-bogey or worse on the first six holes of the back nine.

She bounced back to par each of the final three holes for her 99.

"I was disappointed that (Jen) and Cara didn't play better," said Ferguson, who had seen his top two golfers combine for 13 nine-hole rounds of 45 or better this year. "Without a doubt those two probably should have went on over a few of the girls who did.

"The positive is we had two sophomores break 100. That's great."

Senior Ivy Simons closed her career with three pars for a 103 to complete Jay County's team score. Rachel Osterholt, also a senior, had five bogeys in her round of 110.

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