TEE TIME

BRYAN GASKINS AND PEDRO VELAZCO

KOKOMO TRIBUNE

Western girls golf coach Steve Hoppes has one sure thing when it comes to his lineup and that is Elizabeth Mercer in the No. 1 spot.

Now a senior, Mercer has anchored Western’s lineup throughout her career. She is a three-time All-State player and a three-time individual champion in the Western Sectional at Chippendale G.C. Mercer is off to a strong start in the new season. Consider:

• In Lafayette Jeff’s 21-team invitational on Tuesday at Battle Ground G.C., she tied for the low score with a 1-over 73. She finished second after a playoff.

• In Tipton’s 14-team invitational on Wednesday, she shot 2-over 73 and tied for third in a talent-laden field.

• In West Lafayette’s 15-team invite on Thursday at Purdue’s Kampen-Cosler course, she fired a 3-under 69 and won medalist by 10 strokes.

• And in Friday’s Benton Central Invitational, she was medalist with a 72, taking the top spot in that tournament for the fourth year in a row.

“She’s looking excellent,” Hoppes said. “She’s right where she should be.”

Hoppes is expecting Mercer to fashion a big senior season.

“She’s already committed to the University of Evansville. The pressure is off for her because she knows where she’s going to go,” he said. “She’d love to get into the top 10 at state.”

Mercer has gradually improved at state. As a freshman, she tied for 58th place. As a sophomore, she tied for 31st. And as a junior last year, she tied for 16th.

After Mercer, the Panthers have senior Gracie Burns, junior Abby Nutt and freshmen Grace Williams, Annalise Dixon and Kenzie Creason. Burns is in her second year playing and Nutt is back with the team after not playing last year.

Creason’s mother, Ginny Smith, played on Western’s 2004 state runner-up team. Penn beat Western by five strokes for the title.

Hoppes noted the Panthers improved 14 strokes from Tuesday to Wednesday.

“Now different golf course, but it shows the other kids are getting better because Mercer shot the same score both days,” he said. “If we can get a couple of them to break 100, we’ll be adequate. At sectional, I think we’ll be OK. Maconaquah won that last year and they’ll come in strong again. Basically, we just hope to get in that top three and go to regional.”

NORTHWESTERN

Northwestern took third place in the sectional to advance to the regional for the third straight season.

The Tigers return juniors Berkley Wray and Mia Shoaff from their postseason lineup. Wray played in the No. 2 spot in the lineup and shot a team-best 88 in the regional.

“Berkley Wray will be our No. 1. I’d like to see her have a good season,” Northwestern coach Kurt Koetter said.

After Wray and Shoaff, the Tigers have little experience. Junior Olivia Locke played JV last season and freshmen Anna Cobble and Palmer Williams played in middle school. Junior Emma Mula, sophomore Maylee King and freshman Alexa Aeschliman are new to the sport.

“It will be a learning curve for the team this year,” Koetter said. “We’re new, we’re young so my expectation is just to see improvement as we move along and hopefully build for next year. Hopefully they’ll enjoy the game and improve and want to play next summer to get ready for next year’s season.”

Northwestern opened Tuesday by playing in Plymouth’s invitational at Pretty Lake G.C. The Tigers shot 476. Wray led the squad with a 91.

EASTERN

With three players back from the team that took fourth at the Western Sectional and led by regional qualifier Cora Bartrum, the Comets expect to be in the mix for a conference title, and an advancing spot from the sectional this season.

Bartrum shot 89 at the sectional last September to reach regional competition as an individual for the second straight season. She’s a junior this season.

“Cora right now is playing some really good golf,” Eastern coach Michael Lamb said. He pointed to her round Wednesday in the team’s first match. “The fourth day of the season for us and she had some struggles on just a couple holes around the green, but is going to be able to work on that … and shoot very well this year. She’s striking the ball well this year, she’s playing the mental game well, it’s just putting it all together.”

Back from the sectional lineup are Jenna Hendricks, the team’s lone senior, and sophomore Teagan Bedwell. Hendricks is playing No. 2 at the start of the season, freshman Sophie Kretz is No. 3, Bedwell is No. 4 and sophomore Alaina Schemehorn, who was on the squad last season, is at No. 5. Also on the squad are sophomore Kaitlynne Degraff, who played a season in middle school, and freshman Brynn Sheppard. Kretz and Sheppard are moving up from the middle school squad.

“This squad, they don’t give up,” Lamb said. “They have a bad hole and they can move on. The camaraderie is there. All seven are clicking and they’re talking, encouraging. They want their scores to be good, but they want their teammates’ scores to be good. The togetherness of this team is really exciting. That might be what puts this team over the edge and gets us to the next level.”

The Comets want to take another step in the postseason — grabbing third in the sectional would mean the team reaches the regional round — and are aiming at the Hoosier Heartland Conference title that eluded them last season.

“I think we have a shot at getting out,” Lamb said of the sectional. “We’re obviously going to have to keep working at it, but we’re mainly taking this year step by step. We had a pretty successful run last year in the conference and came up one shot away from winning the conference [behind Rossville]. With the returning kids, that stung a little bit.”

In addition, he pointed to the fourth place finish in the sectional as a motivator. The Comets

See GOLF on B2

Western golf ace Elizabeth Mercer tees off on No. 2 during the Western Sectional on Sept. 16, 2022, at Chippendale Golf Club. Mercer tied for 31st place in the State Finals last year.

Tim Bath | Kokomo Tribune

CONTINUED FROM B1

shot 395. Northwestern took the last advancing spot with a 384.

“That opened their eyes a little bit that they’re contenders,” Lamb said.

KOKOMO

The Wildkats have to find a new No. 1 player following the graduation of Lizzy Lytle. She was a two-time North Central Conference champion and a three-time regional qualifier. The Kats also graduated Kamryn Hahn.

“Having Lizzy as our No. 1 spot for the past four years and Kam in our top five for the past four years really made a difference in our team,” Kokomo coach Kylie Kern said. “Brileigh [Quillen- Popejoy] and Matilda [Stout] have shown incredible leadership and have been working hard towards their game to keep the momentum and consistency going. They have also been great teammate coaches by helping the new players at every practice. I’m so proud with how both have stepped up.”

Quillen-Popejoy is a senior and Stout is a junior. Kern also returns senior and Lizzie Hunter.

Senior Zoey Ausbrook and junior Jacey Cody are new to the team.

“Both players are new to the game, but have made incredible strides this summer,” Kern said.

“Our team goal this year is to work together as a team, have fun and work on setting and accomplishing personal scoring goals,” Kern added.

TAYLOR

Before school starts, the Titans have one player, freshman Kally McElroy.

Coach Tim Weeks said McElroy has “only played for a year, but shows potential. Needs to play to learn the nuances of the game and develop skill set consistently.

“Hoping to add some players when school starts next Wednesday.”

The Titans finished the season with one player last year, a senior, so the program rebuilds with McElroy to start.

“Been a few years since Taylor has had a full squad,” Weeks said. “Hoping to develop some interest in the middle school to carry over into high school.”

Eastern’s Cora Bartrum is shown in a match against Northwestern on Sept. 2, 2021.

Kelly Lafferty Gerber | Kokomo Tribune