East High Golf - Wednesday, September 27

Jillian Hutchinson hits her tee shot at the 14th hole at Sim Park.

For the second time in three days, the East High girls golf team competed in an 18-hole varsity tournament, this time at the North High Invitational at Sim Park Golf Course.  I knew going into the tournament that our girls had been improving, but in my three years as coach, I have never seen our girls collectively hit the ball so well.  It was awesome!

Even going back to last year, Jillian Hutchinson had been so close to breaking 100.  At this same tournament a year ago, she shot an even 100, but in my time as coach, that is as close as she has gotten.  But on Wednesday, she hit the ball as well as I've ever seen her hit it, especially off the tee.  Her first few holes were a bit shaky, but she improved as the day went on (which is always what I want to see), and on her back nine shot a 45, the best nine-hole score an East High golfer has posted in three years.  She ended up with a 96, and tied with five other girls for 28th.

Faith Mantzke continued her solid ball-striking and overall steady play by shooting 103 and tying for 42nd.  Faith doesn't hit the ball all that far (I'm encouraging her to do more push-ups 😁), but her hand-eye coordination is really good, and she hits it so straight.  If she can begin to save a few more strokes when chipping and putting, she'll be the next one to break 100.

Almost the exact same thing could be said about Olivia Sanchez.  Her ball-striking was fabulous at Sim, and she's really starting to hit the ball a long way.  And just like Faith, if she can save a few strokes around the greens, her scores are going to continue to come down.  Hopefully, the things we worked on at practice on Thursday will begin to take root.  Olivia shot a 113 and finished 59th.

At Monday's tournament, Mackenzie Wright started to hit the ball better, and finally began to gain a little confidence, which she has not had all season.  Those good vibes continued for her at Sim as her ball-striking continued to improve.  She even got a nice up-and-down par on the par-three sixth, not the easiest hole on the course.  Sim Park is not her favorite course, but she still managed to post her best score of the season, a 121 to finish 68th.

Each year I have coached we have had multiple girls come out for the team who have never played before, and this year was no exception.  But in my three years, I don't think I have had a novice golfer show as much improvement in such a short time as Haylie Bustos.  Haylie has only played in five tournaments, but this was her first time playing varsity, and her first time playing 18 holes.  Her previous nine-hole scores have all been in the 70s,, but on Wednesday she hit the ball beautifully, and she posted nine-hole scores of 69 and 58 (58!)!  And to be honest, like the other girls, with improved putting and chipping, that score could've been even lower.  I am so proud of her progression this season.  Haylie's score of 127 placed her 75th.

In golf, as in life, you have good days and bad days.  While most of our girls were pleased with their performances (and for good reason), we did have one that maybe didn't have quite as much fun as the others.  Like, Haylie, Brooklyn Brandon is brand-new to golf this year, and was also playing her first 18-hole varsity match.  When I would come and talk to her during the day, she seemed quite serious, and when I would ask her about it, she just kept telling me, "I'm in the zone".  So I went with it.  Brooklyn probably wasn't pleased finishing 80th with a score of 169, but I was proud of her nonetheless.

I have mentioned over the last couple of years that the level of girls golf in the area is really high, and this year is no exception.  I mean, Jillian posted her best score in four years, and she finished 28th?  That's crazy.  (To put Jillian's score into further context, if it had been a tournament involving only public school golfers, she would've tied for 13th; in a tournament involving only WPS golfers, she would've tied for 2nd).  And because of all the really good golfers that we compete against, it is important to remember that in golf, you really aren't competing against the other golfers.  You are competing against yourself, and against the course.  And in that regard, our girls are doing great.

The tournament was won, for the second year in a row, by Regan Dusenbery, a sophomore from Andover High, who shot an even-par 71.  And, the top four finishers were either freshmen or sophomores.  Wow.  For complete tournament results, click here.

Our regular season is now complete.  On Monday we will compete in the GWAL Championship, which will also be held at Sim Park.  The following Monday, October 9, we will compete in the KSHSAA 6A Regional tournament held at...Sim Park.  Surely that familiarity will be a good thing.