By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – Every team from Hamilton County had something to be happy about during the first day of the IHSAA girls golf state finals Friday at Prairie View.
Noblesville used its customary consistency to hold a five-stroke lead over Zionsville, setting the Millers up well for today’s second round of play. Westfield and Hamilton Southeastern finished the first day third and fourth respectively, putting them in the final group with the Millers and the Eagles.
Carmel finished the first round in eighth position and the Greyhounds’ senior leader made some history. Sophie Mock became the third girls golfer in history to make a hole in one during the state meet.
Noblesville finished the first round with a 310. Josie Kelley led the Millers with a 75, tying her for eighth place after the first round. Presley White had a solid round, scoring 76 to put her in a five-way tie for 10th place.
Kelley made four birdies in her round, while White had two. Karis Shields, Olivia Fowler and Olivia Anderson all had one birdie.
“We definitely had a good day,” said Noblesville coach Justin Werkley. “All you want out of day one is a chance to be in position for day two and I think we did that.”
Westfield is in third place after the first day with a 326. Senior Addi Kooi is one of three golfers on top of the leaderboard; she joins Floyd Central’s Paige Giovenco and Zionsville’s Taylor Snively in front as all three carded even par 72s.
Finishing strong
Kooi began her round with a birdie, weathered some adversity during her middle holes, but finished on fire with three straight birdies for a total of four.
“My irons were not good throughout the entirety of my round, and so to finally get them back in the last few holes and get that confidence back, I think I’m really excited for tomorrow and what might happen,” said Kooi.
Kelsey Haverluck scored 76 to put herself in the tie for 10th place; she made three birdies. Lilley Ku and Sophie Raines both made one birdie.
Hamilton Southeastern is right behind the Rocks with a 327. Sophie Roberts and Janelle Garcia both scored 80s, and both players made two birdies along the way. Royals coach Peter Salvadori credited them both with having a “consistent day all the way across the board.”
Laci Hart made three birdies during her round, while Maya Cieply drained one.
“We played really, really well today,” said Salvadori. “I was very, very impressed across the board for different reasons. Maya obviously had a remarkable day, playing very, very well. Laci overcame some early adversity and really hung in there.”
The top four teams will play together in the final round today, teeing off between 10:10 and 10:50 a.m.
“A little more high stakes”
Mock made her hole-in-one on the 12th hole. It was Mock’s second career ace; she said her first one came at the Newport Country Club when she was 13.
“A little more high stakes, for sure,” said Mock. “It’s definitely a good feeling.”
Mock called making the walk from the tee to the green “truly surreal.”
“The heart rate’s high, you’re just grinning ear to ear,” said Mock. “It just was such a special moment, and to have so many loved ones watching it too, at such an incredible place, an incredible moment, it truly was just amazing.”
Mock also birdied the 10th hole, her first of the day, and finished with a 76, placing her in a tie for 10th after the opening round. (The Greyhounds began their Friday round from the 10th hole.) Maddie Headlee carded an 80, including two birdies. Allie Thompson and Georgia Murnan both made one birdie.
Carmel tees off on hole No. 1 this morning, from 8:30 to 9:10 a.m.
Team scores: Noblesville 310, Zionsville 315, Westfield 326, Hamilton Southeastern 327, Franklin Community 328, Batesville 332, Center Grove 341, Carmel 344, South Bend St. Joseph 347, Castle 353, Rochester 356, DeKalb 365, Northridge 365, Homestead 365, Bedford North Lawrence 368, Lake Central 373, New Palestine 378, Evansville Memorial 412.
Day 1 leaders: Addi Kooi (Westfield) 72, Paige Giovenco (Floyd Central) 72, Taylor Snively (Zionsville) 72.
Noblesville scores: Josie Kelley 75, Presley White 76, Karis Shields 78, Olivia Fowler 81, Olivia Anderson 89.
Other Westfield scores: Kelsey Haverluck 76, Lilley Ku 88, Kate Brown 90, Sophie Raines 90.
Southeastern scores: Sophie Roberts 80, Janelle Garcia 80, Laci Hart 83, Maya Cieply 83, Karolina Franssen 92.
Carmel scores: Sophie Mock 76, Maddie Headlee 80, Allie Thompson 91, Reese Roudebush 97, Georgia Murnan 103.