ALBANY — It was the first one in a long time.
It was the first one of their lifetime.
By 25 strokes, Mt. Vernon claimed the Hoosier Heritage Conference Girls Golf Championship, held Saturday at the Albany Golf Club.
It was the Marauders first girls golf conference title since 2003, before players on this year’s team were born.
“They were pretty excited, proud of all of them,” Mt. Vernon coach Mike Miner said of his team’s tournament title. “They all got off to a good start. I was confident in my three seniors and I knew (freshman) Izzy (Van Heel) got off to a good start. After the first nine holes, I knew they were playing decent.”
The team played without all-Hancock County golfer Sophie Amengnigan. The French foreign-exchange student was at an exchange-student conference out of state.
“I think they knew if they played to their ability, and didn’t try to do too much and worry about Sophie not being there, they were confident they’d have a good shot,” coach Miner said. “They were all positive and went out and played well.
“They were disappointed (finishing fourth in 2020). They did not play their best last year,” the coach added. “This year, they wanted to play to their ability. I thought they did well doing that.”
Coach Miner also commended his team for playing well in some tough, windy conditions.
The Marauders were led by their three seniors, all placing in the Top 6. Alaina Nugent was the tournament champion, carding a 79. Meredith Johnson was fourth with an 85 and Mackenzie Miner placed sixth with an 87.
“Alaina and Meredith have been solid all year long,” coach Miner said. “I don’t think Alaina played her best golf, but she knows how to get around the course and keep it together. Meredith did great, too. She had a couple bad holes, but always got right back on and was consistent the whole day.
“MacKenzie came through with a real nice round. She got off to a great start and that helped her. She was disappointed she didn’t do well at county, and didn’t get all-county. I know she worked hard last week to do well (Saturday).”
All three seniors were part of the All-HHC team (Top 8).
Locally, they were joined on the all-league team by Greenfield-Central’s Sydney Wherry, who was runner-up to Nugent with an 82.
As a team, Mt. Vernon shot 351, 25 strokes better than second-place Pendleton Heights (376). Greenfield-Central was third with a 389. New Palestine was sixth with a 408.
Along with three all-conference golfers, Mt. Vernon freshman Izzy Van Heel was 13th with a 100. Frosh Natalie Miner, in her first 18-hole tournament, shot a 125.
For Greenfield-Central, following Wherry, Abby Mulligan was 11th with a 99. Katie Curry placed 12th with a 100. Rounding out the scoring for the Cougars were Brynn Elliott with a 108 and Ella Neill with a 113.
For the Dragons, Zoe Nelson led the way with a 93. She just missed the all-conference team, placing ninth. Kate Stanfield shot 101, followed by Hanna Beller (107), Lily Kirchner (107), and Lauren Appleby (111).
The Marauders and other area schools are wrapping up regular season play this week in preparation for the Sept. 20 sectional, to be played at Hawk’s Tail of Greenfield.
The Marauders, led by tourney champion Nugent, won the county title on the course on Aug. 31. The sectional will include 11 teams, Eastern Hancock, Greenfied-Central, Greenwood Christian Academy, Greenwood, Knightstown, Morristown, Mt. Vernon, New Palestine, Shelbyville, Southwestern (Shelbyville) and Triton Central.
The top three teams and top three individuals not associated with the top three teams advance to the regional on Saturday, Sept. 25, at Edgewood Golf Club in Anderson.
2021 Hoosier Heritage Conference Girls Golf Tournament
Team scores: Mt. Vernon 351, Pendleton Heights 376, Greenfield-Central 389, Delta 392, Yorktown 397, New Palestine 408, Shelbyville 432, New Castle inc.
2021 All-HHC girls golf team
Alaina Nugent, Mt. Vernon;79
Sydney Wherry, Greenfield-Central;82
Grace Wiggins, Pendleton Heights;83
Meredith Johnson, Mt. Vernon;85
Kayleigh Agugliaro, Yorktown;86
Mackenzie Miner, Mt. Vernon;87
Kaylee McKenney, Pendleton Heights;89
Savanna Hickey, Delta;90
