Columbus North’s Ava Bunker watches her tee shot on No. 5 during a match against Columbus East Tuesday at Timbergate Golf Course in Edinburgh.
Tommy Walker | For The Republic
EDINBURGH — By the way the Columbus North girls golf team played Tuesday, coach Scott Seavers likes his chances of going far in the postseason.
Led by freshman Ava Bunker and a couple of personal bests from Erin Hopkins and Lindsey Hartwell, the Bull Dogs came away with a 157-171 win over crosstown foe Columbus East at Timbergate Golf Course.
“Our scores have been getting better, and this is our best score of the year. To be our last home match to be the best match we’ve had is exactly what you want as a coach,” Seavers said. “We’ve got a little bit of confidence, but we need to keep practicing and shave off a few strokes before Monday.”
Bunker finished with a 4-under-par 32 to win medalist honors. Hopkins added a 37, and Hartwell carded a 40 for the Bull Dogs.
“My chipping and putting really saved me today because my drives were going every way,” Hopkins said.
“I’m really happy for Erin and the way she played today and the way she’s been playing. She’s starting to get a lot of confidence. She’s a really good golfer and only going to get better. She’s a big part of our team,” Seavers said. “I’m really happy for Lindsey, too. She’s been getting better and better. To shoot her personal-best today against Columbus East is great, I’m happy for her.”
Other scores for North were Ritisha Rashmil with a 48, Nettie Meeks with a 49, Mila Bachman scored a 55 and Kara Buntin carded a 63.
East was led by a 37 from Carter Gant. Katie Hong finished with a 38, Lilly Steinwedel shot 47, Grace LaSell had a 49, Avery Brooks carded a 51, Dyana Foster shot 54 and Ali Trueblood scored a 55.
East coach Kylie Weichman was pleased with the scores Tuesday.
“When we’re looking at our overall averages to this point in the season, Carter’s four below it, Katie’s five below it, Lilly is right at her average and Grace was four strokes below her average,” Weichman said. “For our top four to continue and improve like that at this point in the season, where nerves are always a little shaky in the crosstown rivalry match, I’m not at all disappointed with our score today or our team’s effort.”
This is the final week of tuneup for both teams, who will start the postseason on Monday in the Bloomington North Sectional at Cascades Golf Course.
“We’re doing pretty good right now. We had personal-bests, some 30s and low 40s,” Bunker said. “We should be doing just fine (at sectional).
Weichman said she likes how her team is positioned going into Monday.
“Our girls are working so hard just to continue to improve little things so good things can happen,” Weichman said. “I think with that mindset and believing in themselves and each other, I think that’ll take us a long way.”
