FR breaks through for first victory

Eva Kahlig has struggled with her driver at times this season.

A suggestion from Fort Recovery assistant coach Jeff Vaughn led her to using her irons more, including teeing off.

It paid off for her, as she shot her best score of the season and led the Indians to a win.

Kahlig’s 55 led the Fort Recovery High School girls golf team to its first win of the season, trumping the Midwest Athletic Conference-rival St. John’s Blue Jays 231-239 Monday at Portland Golf Club.

Kahlig’s previous low (56) came on Aug. 14 against Parkway, the first match after Vaughn suggested her irons. 

“She was having a real hard time with her driver and I said, ‘You don’t have to hit a driver off the tee,’” Vaughn said. “Ever since she’s switched, she’s been mid-50s … I noticed today she was back to her irons. Whatever gets you around the course … I give her credit because a lot of kids won't do that.”

Kahlig struggled a little bit out of the gate on Monday, recording 8s on holes No. 10 and 11. After the struggles, she strung together a pair of pars on the 420-yard, par-5 12th hole and the 101-yard, par-3 13th.

“The par-5, I had three good shots and then got a lucky putt,” Kahlig said. “And then the par-3, I hit it on the green and then I two-putted it.”

Elle Gable of St. John’s was the match medalist, shooting a 51. She had the only par of the match for either team, on the par-5 14th hole.

Two Indians (1-5, 1-2 MAC) finished with 58 strokes to take up two spots on the score sheet. Olivia Knapke didn’t have her strongest performance, but still pulled out tying for second among her teammates. Back-to-back bogeys on holes No. 15 and 16 were the high point of the match for Knapke.

The other Indian to shoot 58 was Ella Schoen. After a couple of matches in the upper-60s, she was able to lower her score.

“Ella Schoen bounced back,” Vaughn said. “She struggled a couple of matches and I sat her one and she shot a 58, which isn’t the greatest, but she had a couple of high-60s the last two times out. I’m happy for her. She improved tonight quite a bit from her last two matches.”

All three of Fort Recovery’s remaining golfers shot 60s to wrap up the team score.

Emma Will struggled to begin the match. By the end, she began to figure things out and pumped out three straight bogeys to finish the match.

Also with three bogeys was Marissa Schoen, shooting them on the 11th, 13th and 15th holes.

Ella Westgerdes was the other golfer to shoot a 60. She finished with a pair of bogeys on the 11th and 15th.

There were cheers coming from Indians surrounding Vaughn as he tallied up the scores. While not all of the golfers were happy with their individual performances, they were relieved to have gotten the win, going to El Camino Real to celebrate.

“We got the win,” Vaughn said with a smile. “I mean, that's a big thing. It's the first single-match that we've won. So I'm happy about that.

“It’s good. We never want to be at the bottom of (the MAC). We’ve got a big week this week … We have some gettable matches coming up here. We always like to get a big ‘W’ there.”