EAGLE GROVE — Last season the lowest 18-hole score recorded by the Panorama girls golf team was a 436. Twice this season — including during Monday’s Class 2A Regional 3A meet — the Panthers were able to card a combined 424.
Unfortunately, that scored placed the team third, one slot out of advancing to sectional play May 22.
“The girls played well the first nine holes,” Panther head coach Melissa Hochstetler said. “There was a break after the first nine when a small thunderstorm passed over. The first nine was so nice and cool, but after that storm came through it was a different ballgame! The sun came out and the humidity set in.”
All teams struggled on their second nine, with Panorama shooting a front side 205 at the Eagle Grove Country Club and a 219 on the back side. Emmetsburg had run off with the top spot with a 371, but Panorama trailed Ogden by only six strokes after nine holes for second place and an advancing spot, only to see the Bulldogs card a second nine 193 to pull away from the Panthers with a 392.
Eagle Grove was fourth at 425 and Lake Mills fifth at 426, with South Central Calhoun (445), NW Webster (470) and Belmond-Klemme (519) also in action.
Allison Freeman of Emmetsburg shot 82 to lead all individuals, with Ogden’s Hannah Carter second with an 88. Also moving on as individuals were Emmetsburg’s Sarah Pugh (91), NW Webster’s Morgan Byson (93) and Eagle Grove’s Elizabeth Varlad (97).
Panorama’s Madi Fear shot 52-49–101, with Hochstetler saying she was sorry to not have seen, and photographed, Fear’s celebratory dance after finishing under 50 on the back nine.
Freshman Anna Duis played well again Monday with a 51-54–105, with Lauren McClatchey shooting a 50-57–107. The front nine 50 was a personal record, with Hochstetler confident the 107 was a personal low as well.
Maggie Smith (52-59–111) also scored for Panorama, which did not use the 56-60–116 of freshman Chloe Webster or the 60-66–126 of frosh Alex Kurtz, who was a last-minute replacement for Cassie Labath, who missed the meet with an illness.
“This team is so amazing — they keep learning and have positive attitudes,” Hochstetler said. “I can only see them getting better and better.”
“They are so supportive of each other, always cheering each other on,” she concluded. “I don’t think any of them were ready to be finished today. We are looking forward to playing together this summer.”
