JC heads back to regional

MUNCIE — Brooke Sanders walked off the 18th green at Crestview Golf Course and didn’t think a return trip to regional was possible.
As Jay County’s top golfer, the senior heard her teammates behind her weren’t doing too well.
When Sanders walked to the pavilion, three team scores — eventual sectional champion Yorktown Tigers (355) and runner-up Muncie Central Bearcats (397) — had already been official. The Delta Eagles, who were grouped with the Tigers and Bearcats, were sitting third with 411.
As the rest of the Patriots began to trickle in, Sanders’ doubt did not become a reality.
Jay County High School girls golf team totaled 406 Saturday, edging Delta by five strokes for the third and final regional qualifying spot. The top three teams and top three individuals not on advancing teams earn a berth in the regional meet, which is at Edgewood Golf Course in Anderson.
“I think it’s exciting that our team made it for the second year,” said Sanders, who helped the Patriots to a third-place finish last year as well. “I think everybody that returned is excited and I think Jay County is going somewhere.”
Yorktown’s Reece Malapit was the individual sectional champion with a 2-over-par 74. Her teammate Holly Haynes was two strokes behind her in second, and Ashley Powell of Delta was third with 90.
Wapahani’s Emily Rausch (98), Samantha Abbott (102) of Blue River Valley and Powell advanced to regional as individuals.
“All in all, I’m very, very pleased,” said JCHS coach Butch Gray, who added he was satisfied with the way his squad was able to work through the delayed start. An early-morning storm cell forced the tournament to be pushed back two hours. “I thought they handled that pretty well. They stuck with it. They kept grinding.
“I’m happy to be going on.”
Sanders made par three times and finished with a 94 to lead the Patriots.
On the 102-yard, par-3 ninth hole, Sanders hit an iron from the tee box and had her shot land on the top side of the green about 30 feet from the pin. Her birdie putt — she had a good read on the right-to-left slope but hit it a little too hard — came up about 8 feet short. Her par putt was also short, and she tapped in for bogey.
She also bogeyed the par-5 10th, which doglegged to the left, before making her first par on 11. Sanders bogeyed the next three holes before converting par on 15. She also had par on the par-3 18th. Her 44 on the back nine — six shots better than what she had at the turn — was the best nine-hole score for any Jay County player.
While the course started out soggy and had standing water in some places, the Patriots were able to work through the conditions as they tournament went on.
“Starting out was a little rough,” Sanders said of the course conditions. “Towards the end it cleared up and got nicer.”
Sydney Robbins — one of four Patriot seniors — was second on the team with a 95 from the No. 4 spot. She made par once on the par-3 third hole, and also birdied the par-5 10th. She nearly had a second birdie on the 158-yard 18th, but her putt from about 9 feet away stopped a foot short.
Abby Saxman, a senior, made the other birdie for the Patriots on the 221-yard, par-4 sixth. She finished with a 108, and junior Carlie Wickey had a 109 to complete Jay County’s team score.
Senior Rachel Antrim also competed for the Patriots, and she finished with a 112.
Jay County struggled in regional last season at Westwood Golf Club in New Castle, finishing last out of 18 teams. With a new course ahead for the Patriots this year, they know what they can work on this week to prepare for a new challenge.
“Definitely consistency,” said Saxman. “I think moving on from the last bad shot is the big thing that I personally need to work on.”
“Staying relaxed,” Robbins added.