The Columbus North girls golfers won the Conference Indiana title Monday at Timbergate. Team members include, from left, Erin Hopkins, Ritisha Rashmil, Nettie Meeks, Lindsey Hartwell and Ava Bunker.
Ted Schultz | The Republic
EDINBURGH — After beating Terre Haute South by only 14 shots in Saturday’s Bloomington North Invitational, the Columbus North girls golfers knew they had to be on top of their games if they wanted to keep their Conference Indiana championship streak alive.
So on Monday, the Bull Dogs went out and posted a 338 at Timbergate. That was 28 shots better than the runner-up Braves and enabled North to capture its seventh consecutive conference title.
“It’s a good day,” North coach Scott Seavers said. “I’m happy with our overall score, and winning conference is big for Columbus North.”
Ava Bunker won medalist honors with a 5-under-par 67. The freshman had six birdies and one bogey, shooting 35 on the front nine and 32 on the back.
“The front nine could have been better,” Bunker said. “I was putting really well. I didn’t have too many chips. My driver was really consistent.”
Bunker’s score was one shot off the school record she set on Saturday and one shot off the Conference Indiana Tournament record.
“She knows this course, and she just knows how to play golf,” Seavers said. “She’s a competitor, and she’s a winner and I look forward to what’s to come here.”
The Bull Dogs’ Erin Hopkins finished third individually with an 81.
“Today, I definitely had a lot of putts, that’s for sure,” Hopkins said. “But overall, it went really well. I’m really proud of myself. I think we have a lot of steam going into these big playoff tournaments, and I think we’ll play really well.”
Lindsey Hartwell finished sixth individually with an 89 and joined Bunker and Hopkins on the All-Conference team.
“Erin was steady all day, and she’s just getting better and better,” Seavers said. “Lindsay had a tough hole on her second hole today, but she battled back and stayed steady and kept it in the 80s, so I’m happy for her. She’s getting better, as well.”
Ritisha Rashmil rounded out North’s scoring with a 101. Nettie Meeks added a 107.
The Bull Dogs close the regular season tonight at Timbergate against Columbus East. North and East will play in the Bloomington North Sectional Monday at Cascades.
“Our scores are getting better,” Seavers said. “I’m happy with the way the team is playing. I think we have some confidence now. We’re just going to keep working here this next week and trying to get better and play smarter and keep doing what we’re doing.”
