ATTICA — The post-season journey and what many think will be a third straight trip to the State Finals began on Saturday for Addison Meadows. Meadows and the Mounties along with Crawfordsville and North Montgomery all competed at Harrison HIlls in Attica in the Girls Golf Sectional. Meadows for the third straigh season was the overall medalist with an even par 72 . The Mounties as a team placed third overall with a team score of 386. Benton Central also shot a 386 but the Bison earned second on a fifth score. Crawfordsville senior Carli Payne shot a 93 to advance as individual.
Overall scores for the Mounties along with Meadows’ 72 included Kelsey Thompson’s 99, Addison Kendricks 106, and Parker Church’s 109. Hanna Long’s 112 was a single stroke behind the Bison’s fifth score fo 111.
“I’m very happy that we get to go on as a team especially sinced we missed out last year,” Southmont coach Bill Whalen said. “After playing the back nine first we were only about two strokes out of the lead and were right there with Benton Central. Then WeBo comes on the front and just shoots lights out. It was there for the taking for any of those top four teams really.”
WeBo won its first sectional title in school history with a 378. The Mounties and Bison held off Seeger by four strokes as the Patriots shot a 390. Attica places 5th with a 402. Crawfordsville was sixth with a 432. North Montgomery placed eighth overall with a 469.
Meadows talked about what her focus will be as she prepares to head into the Regional and has the goal of being the overall medalist.
“I need to focus and be on my game,” she said. “I have a lesson on Wednesday to fine tune a couple of things so that I can really focus out there and be on my game hopefully bring home a regional champion title. It won’t be easy because of the bigger schools but I am definitely going to try my best and not let anything bring me down or get in the way of my confidence. As we know from last year I am very capable of winning the regional, I just need to be a little bit more detailed on the golf course.”
The biggest highlight of the day for Meadows came on hole seven. Meadows eagled the hole on her way to a 35 on the front nine.
“The eagle really did feel great, it definitely was a confidence booster,” Meadows said. “It just kind of reminds me that I know I can do it. And that I know I am capable of attacking some holes and some you still have to be careful with. When I walked off that green I had the biggest smile on my face.”
To go along with Payne’s 93 on the day the Athenians got a 102 from Emery Allen, 110 from Madisyn Posthauer and a 127 from Nancy Blanchard. Cville coach Tony Thomas was over the moon for his senior captain getting the chance to play at the Regional.
“Carli Payne is the only girl I’ve had the chance to coach for seven years,” Thomas said. “She’s come so far and I couldn’t be more proud of her. She’s going to be able to go to Battleground next week and just have fun. She got to go to the Regional her freshman season when we qualifies as a team so I know she’ll go there and it’ll be a nice send off for what’s been a great career.”
North Montgomery concluded its season at the sectional. Senior Shayna Ratcliff just missed the cut of qualifying of the Regional with a 96. Claire Grimes shot a 122, Krestyn Bradford a 124, Bella Priddy a 127 and Emma Pyle a 132.
The Mounties and Payne will now have one more week of their season as they’ll compete at the Regional on Saturday at Battleground Country Club in Lafayette. The top three teams and top three individuals will qualify for the IHSAA State Finals at Prairie View in two weeks.
