Valley places 7th, Rochester 8th at Rochester Invitational

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Tippecanoe Valley girls golf team placed seventh, and Rochester took eighth at the 16-team Rochester Invitational at Round Barn Golf Club at Mill Creek on Aug. 21.

Valley shot a 386, and Rochester carded a 402.

Madelyn Weaver and Kaydence Mellott each shot a 90 for Valley. Molly Moriarty had a 102, Lily Ault had a 104, and Cheney Canada had a 108.

JV player Macy Petersen had a 127.

The low Lady Z was Ava Thomas, who overcame a front-nine 50 to finish with an 89. Payton Moore had a 97, Kat Rensberger had a 100, Avery Brouyette had a 116, and Delaney Barkman had a 124.

“It is about right at our average,” Rochester coach Chad Thomas said. “Low 400s is what we’ve been shooting. I was hoping for something better at our home course, especially since we’ve been playing it all week. It just didn’t turn out the way I had hoped.”

Among the JV players, Savanah Eccles had a 118, Reagan Becker had a 129, and Emma Bays had a 132.

“Off the tee, overall, I think we did a nice job of our tee shots,” coach Thomas said. “What we need to work on are our approach shots and our chipping and putting still. There were a lot of times we were in great positions off the tee, couldn’t hit the green from the fairway, and when we did miss the greens, still struggling and getting the ball up and in in as few shots as we can. If we can turn those things around, we’re going to see our scores come down a great deal.”

Culver Academy won the tournament with a 322. Penn was second with a 344, and Western was third with a 350. Culver Academy and Western both made the 2020 IHSAA state finals.

Penn’s Delany Wade was the medalist with a 73. She edged Western’s Elizabeth Mercer, Culver Academy’s Lynne Zhang and Mishawaka Marian’s Selah Unwin by one stroke each.

Valley coach Thadd Mellott was unavailable for comment.

at Round Barn Golf Club at Mill Creek Aug. 21 (par 72)

Culver Academy 322, Penn 344, Western 350, Mishawaka Marian 364, John Glenn 365, Logansport 382, Tippecanoe Valley 386, Rochester 402, Fairfield 413, Elkhart 427, South Bend St. Joe 429, Wawasee 436, Twin Lakes 439, Peru 447, Manchester 481, North Miami (incomplete team)

VALLEY (386): Madelyn Weaver 90, Kaydence Mellott 90, Molly Moriarty 102, Lily Ailt 104, (Cheney Canada 108)

ROCHESTER (402): Ava Thomas 89, Payton Moore 97, Kat Rensberger 100, Avery Brouyette 116, (Delaney Barkman 124)

VALLEY JV: Macy Petersen 127

ROCHESTER JV: Savanah Eccles 118, Reagan Becker 129, Emma Bays 132