‘Liv’ing her best life: Bailey, Lady Zs tie school records in win over Lewis Cass

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Rochester girls golf coach Chad Thomas said the team lacked focus in a win over Maconaquah Tuesday. He said he challenged them to be better and “right the ship” against Lewis Cass Wednesday.

Led by junior Olivia Bailey, they appeared to take his words to heart.

Bailey tied the individual school record for nine holes with a 33, and she led the team to a school record-tying score for nine holes in a 153-223 home win over Lewis Cass at Round Barn Golf Club at Mill Creek Wednesday.

Other Rochester scores included Ava Thomas’ 37, Molly Moore’s 41, Lexi Haughs’ 42, and Laynie Migonis’ 51.

The nine-hole team record comes just four days after Rochester broke their 18-hole school record with a 317 in their home invitational.

Bailey’s round included an eagle, a birdie and seven pars. The eagle came on the par-5 12th hole, and she followed it with a birdie on No. 13.

Bailey was also medalist Tuesday with a 35 at Round Barn in a round that also included Maconaquah’s Daisy Williams, the Three Rivers Conference medalist in 2021, 2022 and 2023. She also shot a 71 at the Rochester Invitational Saturday and finished second among all individuals.

“About as hot as you can be,” coach Thomas said of Bailey. “I just tried to stay out of the way.”

Ava Thomas had shot a 43 in her round against Maconaquah Tuesday, but this time, she had seven pars, a birdie on No. 17 and a double bogey on No. 15.

Coach Thomas said Ava’s short game was “much more solid.” She said she three-putted three times against Maconaquah. She said she was more efficient in terms of both getting on greens in regulation and cutting down on her putts Wednesday.

“The back nine,” Ava Thomas said when asked which side at Round Barn is more fun. “Because I’m typically not as worried about going in the water. There is a lot of water on the front. I think it comes into play when you try and play aggressive, and I always try and play aggressive.”

Moore had four pars and five bogeys.

Haughs’ round included a birdie on No. 11.

“Just overall better,” coach Thomas said of Haughs, who shot a 53 against Maconaquah. “Drives were really, really good today, and her second shots is where she really improved from last night to tonight.”

Ava Thomas is the team’s only senior. She was asked about the pride she has in Moore, Haughs and Migonis. Moore is a freshman, and Haughs and Migonis are sophomores.

“I’m super proud of them because they’ve come really far just like in the last month,” Ava Thomas said. “It’s incredible to see, and also, Molly’s been playing pretty good all summer, so that was great to see her be able to do that during the school season, and Lexi, she’s been in the 80s every time we’ve played 18 recently, and she’s doing really well, and so is Laynie. I’m really proud of her.”

But the talk of the round was Bailey’s brilliance. She tied Kovenant Lingenfelter and Kinley Lingenfelter for the school record.

“I think her ability to just make the clutch putt and keep her head on straight,” Ava Thomas said when asked what amazes her about Bailey. “I think on that last hole, she had a 25-footer uphill with break for the school record, and she left it pretty short and then just drained the next one, which was crazy. I feel like I would have missed it because I would have been so mad or so anxious thinking about it. … She’s super focused and just really good at what she does.”

at Round Barn Golf Club at Mill Creek Wednesday (back nine, par 36)

ROCHESTER (153): Olivia Bailey 33, Ava Thomas 37, Molly Moore 41, Lexi Haughs 42, (Laynie Migonis 51)

LEWIS CASS (223): Willis 44, Toops 48, Frey 65. Holmquist 66, (Coffman 67)

ROCHESTER JV: Chloe Winn 56, Audrey Widman 61, Lily Chipps 65