GOLF: Lady Panthers third at Regional
The Lady Panthers are moving on to Monday's Sectional Tournament in Effingham after placing third at Wednesday's Centralia Class A Regional with senior Heather McDaniel shooting the day's second-best 18-hole score, a 75, to lead the way for Pinckneyville at Greenview Golf Course.
Three other seniors - Olivia Mathis (95), Sarah Carlson (97) and Britney Thomas (111) combined with McDaniel for PCHS's score of 378, comfortably ahead of fourth-place Waterloo (404). Nashville (340) and Okawville (344) round out the list of teams heading to Effingham.
"The girls started off the day fairly solid," said Pinckneyville head golf coach Nolan Kellerman, "especially Heather, she was one-under after seven holes and really set the tone for the rest of our team."
"The rest of the players, I know they were very nervous, but they played through it and had good back-nine scores, and the back nine played much tougher (than the front)."
It's the second trip to Sectionals for the Lady Panthers' golf team in three years, and McDaniel's fourth overall. The two-time top-ten finisher at state was three strokes behind Regional winner Shawn Rennegarbe from Nashville, and five strokes better than third place Kendra Kessler from Sparta.
Carlson recovered from a rough front nine to card 42 on the back side, where McDaniel had the best score of anyone with a 38.
"Overall, it being a long day, I thought the girls played really well," Kellerman added. "The biggest thing I told them was not to let one or two bad holes ruin the rest of your day. It's 18 holes, you've got to play all 18 of them and stay mentally focused throughout the hole day."
"I thought our girls did a very good job of trying to stay consistent. This wasn't an easy course either, it was playing fairly tough."
Ellie Carlson also participated for PCHS, posting a score of 118.
One year after Du Quoin High School didn't have enough girls golfers to field a full team, they are sending someone to the Sectional Tournament. Sophomore Marisa Ferguson shot 95 to finish fifth among individuals not on an advancing team.
"She played, I would say, one of her best rounds of the year," said DHS golf coach Anthony Baker. "I was really impressed. She stayed really positive, and her mental game was on more than usual."
"She did have a little trouble with her putter, we've been having that conversation, she's going to work on that before she goes to Effingham on Monday. I think she could have dropped another four strokes off of her score had she really made some puts, she left some out there on the course today. But she's really excited and happy, and I'm happy for her."
Blair Hester was the last Lady Indian to make a Sectional, doing so in 2010. Along with Bradon Woodside and Jacob Fisher on the boys' side, Ferguson gives DHS three golfers advancing from a Regional.
"It's been a good year for us with the boys and the girls," Baker said. "I'm excited, I'm glad to see them get through."
Effingham Country Club plays host for Monday's Class A Teutopolis Sectional.