Columbus North’s Ritisha Rashmil watches her drive on No. 7 on the West Nine during the Columbus East Invitational at Otter Creek, Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021.
The Republic file photo
A sixth regional has been added to the girls golf state tournament, theoretically making things a little easier for teams to make it to the state tournament.
Where there have been five regionals and 15 state spots for teams in previous years, the number of team qualifiers this year will jump to 18. However, the number of individual qualifiers from each regional has been reduced from five to two.
Four of the five area schools with full teams are in the Bloomington North Sectional. Instead of going to the Washington Regional, qualifiers from that sectional now will play in the Franklin Sectional at The Legends.
“I don’t know if it’s easier or not,” North coach Scott Seavers said. “Center Grove will be one of the best teams in the state. Floyd Central is really good, and Batesville is really good. It’s just better for us from a geographical standpoint not having to drive so many hours to get there. Being closer to home is much better for us.”
Columbus North
The Bull Dogs might be in for a rebuilding year after losing their top three golfers to graduation from a team that won the Conference Indiana title and finished second in the sectional and sixth in the regional.
Helping ease those losses will be the addition of freshman Ava Bunker, who has played in multiple national junior tournaments over the past few years. Bunker is coming off a victory in the World Teen Championship 2022 in Pinehurst, North Carolina, over the weekend, where she fired rounds of 76, 67 and 71 Thursday through Saturday for a 2-under-par 214.
Ava Bunker
Bunker won’t be able to play in today’s season-opening Bloomington South Invitational since golfers have to have at least two practices in before competing, and official practice did not begin until Friday.
“She’s coming in with a lot of experience,” Seavers said. “She’s played in tournaments all over the country. She’s a winner. She’s also a hard worker, and she’s going to fit into our team really well.”
Senior Ritisha Rashmil was North’s No. 4 golfer last season.
“She has some experience, and I look forward to her being a senior leader this year,” Seavers said.
Sophomores Erin Hopkins and Lindsey Hartwell were North’s No. 5 and 6 golfers and figure to settle into the lineup this season. Battling for the No. 5 spot this year are senior Nettie Meeks and sophomore Kara Buntin.
Freshman Jaedyn Greenlee, sophomore Ana Pavlov and junior Mila Bachman will provide depth.
“We’re a young team, so we’re probably going to go through some growing pains,” Seavers said. “But I like what my sophomores this year are doing, and I look for them to take a big leap in improvement.”
Columbus East
The Olympians broke through last season with their first sectional title in 30 years. They also finished third in the Hoosier Hills Conference and fifth in the regional.
Seven golfers return from that team for East, which also opens today at the Bloomington South invite.
“We beat some really solid teams last year in Franklin and Batesville, who were both ranked, and we did well in our conference last year,” East coach Kylie Weichman said. “Having the majority of our top five back will put us in a position where we can compete all season.”
Columbus East’s Carter Gant putts on No. 1 on the North Nine at Otter Creek, Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021.
The Republic file photo
Juniors Carter Gant and Lily Steinwedel and senior Katie Hong all have been playing varsity since their freshman years. Senior Avery Brooks, sophomore Grace LaSell claimed the other two spots for today’s tournament, and junior Ali Trueblood and sophomore Dyana Foster figure to battle with them throughout the season.
“I’ve seen really solid scores out of those scores all summer long when we can take advantage of practicing and scoring as a team,” Weichman said. “They’re all capable of getting into that top five.”
Like North, the Olympians are in the Bloomington North Sectional that now feeds into the Franklin Regional.
“Our goals remain the same,” Weichman said. “We really want to go out there and win our conference and we always want to win our sectional and advance on to regional and then do well at regional. I have confidence in our team in how we’re going to work and try to reach those goals.”
Jennings County
The Panthers have their sights on winning the Madison Sectional after returning their top three players from last year’s runner-up team.
“Our actual goal is to win the sectional,” Jennings coach Alejandro Galvan said. “Depending on our 4 and 5 spot, I think we have a shot. We just want to keep improving every week until we get there.”
Senior Sophia Curry and juniors Alexis Carson and Lauren Galvan were the top three golfers last season for the Panthers, who finished seventh in the HHC. Junior Rachael Manning and freshmen Shelby Davis and Dakota Carr are battling for the final two varsity spots.
“We’re looking OK,” Alejandro Galvan said. “Our top three players are playing pretty decent, and then we have three new players. They’re still learning. We’re still working out that 4 and 5 spot. They all have the potential to get that.”
Brown County
The Eagles will be a young team with four freshmen among the seven golfers out for the team.
“One of our big missions will be to find out a way to keep the numbers coming so we will have a team,” Brown County coach Brad Baughman said.
Sophomore Lilly VanNess and senior Hannah deWeerdt were varsity players last season, when the Eagles finished second in the Western Indiana Conference and sixth in the Bloomington North Sectional. Junior Savannah Poling also returns.
The rest of the roster consists of freshmen Chloe Poling, Ava Stogsdill, Maya Hernandez-Graham and Caitlin Seet, who currently is out with a broken ankle.
“The only experience they’ve had is what we’ve done this summer,” Baughman said. “Since school has been out, we’ve been meeting twice a week. Those girls have had a club in their hands and know some of the basics, but we haven’t been on the course, and we open up Wednesday.”
Edinburgh
The Lancers are coming off a Mid-Hoosier Conference championship. They finished ninth in the Bloomington North Sectional
“One of our goals will be to win our conference again and just to improve each match,” Edinburgh coach Doug Weddle said.
Junior Izzy Richardson, sophomore Maci Blandford and seniors Jillian Turner and Gracie Myers all return to the varsity. Seniors Hannah Pile, Cierra Myers and Cloee Britton and freshman Bella Turner are battling for the No. 5 spot.
“I had them out this summer doing some things,” Weddle said. “Izzy has been working and Maci, also. The one I’ve really been impressed with is Gracie Myers. I think she’ll have a good season.”
Trinity Lutheran
The Cougars will have one golfer this season in Allie Schocke, a junior transfer from Brownstown Central.
Brad Dickey, who also is Trinity’s athletics director and boys basketball coach, will serve as the girls golf coach.
The 2022 girls golf schedules for Columbus East and Columbus North:
Columbus East
Today at Bloomington South Invitational 9 a.m.
Wednesday at Seymour Invitational 9 a.m.
Thursday at Whiteland (with Greenfield-Central) 5 p.m.
Saturday at Washington Invitational 2 p.m.
Aug. 8 at Batesville 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 9 at Jennings County 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 13 Columbus East Invitational 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 15 Seymour 4:15 p.m.
Aug. 17 at Greenwood 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Floyd Central Invitational 2 p.m.
Aug. 22 at Franklin (with Martinsville) 5 p.m.
Aug. 25 Madison 5 p.m.
Aug. 29 at Seymour 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 1 at Shelbyville 5 p.m.
Sept. 10 HHC at Bedford North Lawrence 9 a.m.
Sept. 13 Columbus North 4:15 p.m.
Columbus North
Today at Bloomington South Invitational 9 a.m.
Saturday State Preview at Prairie View 1 p.m.
Aug. 8 Perry Meridian 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 10 at Jennings County 4 p.m.
Aug. 13 at Columbus East Invitational 1:30 p.m.
Aug. 15 Greenwood 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 16 Batesville 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 18 Roncalli 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 20 at Center Grove Invitational 8 a.m.
Aug. 22 at Bloomington North 4:45 p.m.
Aug. 23 at Seymour 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 1 at Southport 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 at Center Grove 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 10 at Bloomington North Invitational 10 a.m.
Sept. 12 Conference Indiana at Timbergate 8:30 a.m.
Sept. 13 at Columbus East 4:15 p.m.
