GOLF: Lady Panthers win first Regional
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Behind a team-best round of 89 from sophomore Heather McDaniel, the PCHS girls claimed the IHSA Class 1A Pinckneyville Regional at Red Hawk Country Club on Wednesday, the school's first ever girls golf regional championship. The Lady Panthers will now move on to next week's Sectional at Governor's Run Golf Course in Carlyle.
"It was gratifying to win the first regional title in the schools Girls' Golf history," said PCHS head coach Dennis Kania.
"This is my 13th year as coach and it has been a long hard struggle to reach this point. Last year's freshman were important to the golf program because that group gave the team depth to add with the players who were on the roster. Everyone has stepped up and contributed this year."
Du Quoin's lone girls' golfer, Blair Hester, also will be heading to Carlyle. Hester shot 110 to finish fifth amongst golfers on non-qualifying teams. The top ten advanced to the sectional.
While McDaniel led the way for PCHS, as she has often this season, it was a round of 101 by Pinckneyville's No. 6 golfer Brooke Heisner that was second-best for the Lady Panthers, who shot 399 as a team to edge Red Bud by a single stroke.
Rounding out Pinckneyville's score were Kelsey Cicardi (104) and Olivia Mathis (105) with Mo Ramsey (108) and Alexis Anderson (113) also taking part.
Trico became the third team to advance into the sectional, finishing third with a score of 417.
Zeigler-Royalton's Chandra Weddle had the best round of the day by any player, claiming medalist honors with her 83.
Rounding out the day's team scores, Sparta was fourth (455), Marissa fifth (493), followed by Steeleville (494) and West Frankfort (496).
Other advancing individuals included Kendra Kessler (Sparta), Brittany Scales (West Frankfort), Brittany Watt (Sparta), Stacey Whaley (Marissa), Jill Winkelman (Steeleville), Morgan Reid (Marissa), Ashley Dodd (West Frankfort) and Kaitlyn Young (Sparta).
"I am still hoping the round will come when everyone puts that good round all together at the same time," Kania said.
"There are perhaps one or two teams in the sectional that have better averages than our team, but the last and final spot for a state berth is up for grabs. If we can put that one round together at the same time, we could earn that spot."
The sectional, hosted by Breese (Central), will take place on Monday at Governor's Run with advancing teams from the Pinckneyville, Anna, Mt. Carmel and Trenton (Wesclin) Regionals all teeing off.
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