OHSAA girls golf: New Albany edges Dublin Jerome for Division I district championship
ALEXANDRIA — New Albany girls golfers found themselves in the unfamiliar position of waiting on everyone else’s scores during the Division I district tournament Wednesday, rather than being among the last to hand in their scorecards and almost immediately claiming their championship hardware.
That hardly changed the results, however.
Thriving with their full lineup after top golfer Mia Hammond missed sectional last week to play in the World Junior Girls Championship in Ontario, Emerson Purcell shot a medalist round of 2-under par 70 at The Links at Echo Springs and Hammond added a 72 to pace the Eagles to a team score of 297 and their sixth consecutive district title, two shots ahead of runner-up Dublin Jerome.
“I like this better because I don’t look at scores, but it’s nice to not have the pressure of being that great score,” said Purcell, a senior and Wyoming commit. “You are just trying to shoot the best score for your team and hope that’s enough.
“I think it was only on my 17th hole today, which was (No.) 8, that I had to chip, so I ended up two-putting most of the holes and that made me a lot calmer.”
Elle Furrow shot a 74 and Ceci Coccia and Allison Weisbrod added rounds of 81 for New Albany, which by virtue of a third-place finish in the Oakhaven sectional teed off about an hour ahead of a group including Jerome. The Eagles will seek their fifth state championship in six seasons Oct. 20 and 21 at Ohio State’s Gray Course.
“It was a nice, solid team win,” coach Rich Ritter said. “Mia has been playing some phenomenal rounds and that certainly helps when that happens, but today everyone had to perform and they did.”
Ellie Ryu shot a 72 to lead Jerome and tie Hammond and Olentangy Orange’s Skylar Dean for district runner-up. Addie Yarbrough shot a 74 from the fifth spot, ahead of Medha Pothuru (76) and Alexa Prettyman (77).
“We had one stretch where we kind of dropped the ball, but if I’d have known we’d have 17 great holes at district, I’d be pretty happy,” Celtics coach C.D. Butcher said. “We just ran up against a great team and to beat a great team, you have to play great. The good thing is we get to play again next week.”
Lydia Wigal’s round of 75 led Granville to a team score of 332 and the third team berth to state, leading a tight pack of five teams separated by seven shots.
Olivia Jones (83), Hannah Huggins (84) and Avery Staten (90) followed for the Blue Aces, who will make their second trip to state as a team and first since 2010, when they finished ninth in Division II.
Olentangy Liberty (335), Olentangy (337), Orange (338) and Upper Arlington (339) were close behind, and two of them got consolation prizes in the form of their top golfers earning individual state berths.
Dean earned the first spot and Olentangy’s Meadow Tian — whose team fell short of a second consecutive trip to state — tied for fifth (74). Marietta’s Saylor Wharff (74) earned the third spot for individuals not on qualifying teams.
“There were some nerves, but I got over them quick,” said Dean, who also made state as an individual last year and tied for 15th. “I was pretty close to the cut line on the last few holes and I knew I had to keep it low. I was able to handle pressure well at the end.”
Gahanna Lincoln (362), Grove City (362), Dublin Coffman (371), Pickerington North (371) and Hilliard Darby (377) rounded out the team scores.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OHSAA girls golf: New Albany edges Dublin Jerome for district title
