MUNCIE — As the season enters its last week, the golf match between Alexandria and Daleville on Monday afternoon featured two teams with markedly different goals for this season.
For the young Tigers, with four sophomores and a freshman, that goal of improvement has already been met.
For the Broncos, that goal can be fulfilled in five days with advancement in the IHSAA tournament, something they have been tantalizingly close to the last two seasons. And they can accomplish that mission on familiar turf.
In their final home match of the season, senior Eve Emery carded a 46 to earn medalist honors, and fellow senior Taylor Gillum added one of two Daleville scores of 49 as the Broncos defeated the Tigers 195-229 at Crestview Golf Course in Muncie.
Sophomore Emma Allen also shot a 49 for the Broncos, who were celebrating senior night after the match. It was a special night for Emery as she shot the low round in her final home match.
“It’s super special to me because golf has been a big part of my life for a really long time,” Emery said. “I came (to Daleville) in the eighth grade, and it’s become a home to me. It’s really exciting, but it’s really weird having Bailey Teague’s senior night my sophomore year and mine seemed so far away. I don’t think it’s really hit me yet.”
The weather of the last several days posed challenges to the players on multiple fronts. After three straight days of heavy rain, the course itself was very soupy with swamp-like conditions on several of the holes. Maybe even more of a challenge was simply that none of the players had been able to swing a golf club for the last three days.
“Three days in a row, as a coach you don’t want them to miss anything,” Daleville coach Joe Rench said. “At some point, you think it might be a good thing because you don’t want them to get burnt out. You try to make as much of a positive out of it as possible.”
Emery, who has been nursing an injury, agreed the layoff can be seen as a positive.
“Usually, it would be a negative because golf is all about muscle memory and being repetitive,” she said. “These three days, for me personally, have been good because it’s easy to get burnt out. It was kind of refreshing and also I have a little thumb injury, so I got to rest that a little more.”
Two tough holes aside, a triple-bogey on each of the par-5 10th and par-4 17th, Emery was consistent throughout the day. Two of her pars, the 11th and 12th holes, were nearly birdies as her putt was left inches away from the hole.
“She was 6-over on two holes and shoots 10-over total, so she’s right there,” Rench said.
Under the conditions of the course, Rench feels the 195 score shows this team is ready to compete Saturday in the sectional, which will be held at the Broncos’ home course.
“There was no roll, and it was sloppy,” he said. “So for taking three days off and shooting 195, I’m pretty happy with that heading into sectional. (Playing at home) is going to play a huge role for us.”
The fourth Bronco was junior Willoe Cunningham who shot a 51.
For the Tigers, freshman Chloe Cuneo and sophomore Kelsey Rhoades led the way with 52 each. Sophomore Gracyn Hosier added a 61, and sophomores Rylee Pyle and Emma Howe each added a 64.
Coach Bruce Johnson has been pleased with the improvement he has seen from his young team.
“They’re coming around really good,” he said. “The progress as the year has gone on, they’re working together and helping each other, it’s a good team effort. That’s what I like about it. They’re coming together as a team.”
The Tigers will be in the Noblesville sectional, set to tee off Saturday at 9 a.m. at Harbour Trees.
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