Bishop Brossart senior Emma Laker, Highlands senior Jenna Richey and Campbell County eighth-grader Ella Pompilio and senior Natalie Waggoner have at least one more high school golf tournament to play this season.
Laker, Richey, Pompilio and Waggoner were among the 10 players not on the two qualifying teams in Monday’s Region 8 tournament at A.J. Jolly Golf Course near Alexandria to advance. Next is the state First Round tournament Oct. 2 at Shelbyville Country Club.
Laker finished fifth with a 9-over-par 81. Richey was next – her 19-over 91 was good for 10th place. Pompilio was 11th with a 95, and Waggoner was 17th with a 107.
Laker qualified for her fourth state tournament. She felt relieved.
“I think I put a lot of pressure on myself to keep qualifying,” she said. “And it’s just a relief; I put in a ton of work to get there, and I’m proud of myself.”
Richey qualified for her second state tournament; she went as a sophomore two years ago, but missed last year.
“It was nice to come back and be able to qualify,” Richey said. “Last year I didn’t practice or play a lot, so I had a lot of regret … This year, I kinda went back at it, and it feels really good to make it back again.”
Pompilio and Waggoner advanced for the first time.
“I think Natalie’s best strength is that she keeps her head on straight; she gets herself out of really tough times, really tough holes,” Campbell County coach Kara Gabis said. “Ella, I think, is just young, so she’s got really good energy. She’s peppy; she keeps her head on straight, too, but for different reasons.”
Laker had a strong start – five pars and only one bogey for the first six holes. From there, a rough stretch that included a double-bogey on No. 7, a par and a bogey left her at 4-over 39.
“I hit it in the lake toward the left,” Laker said of her first shot on No. 7. “And then I was stuck behind a tree.”
Laker’s back nine came with five bogeys and four pars.
“I think my drives were good,” Laker said. “I need to get my chips a little closer, trying to get up and down, and just putting in general. I had some good shots; it’s just my birdie putts and longer par putts weren’t falling.”
The highlight of Richey’s round was a birdie on her first hole, the 429-yard, par-5 16th. From there it was a quadruple bogey, five double-bogeys, six bogeys and five pars.
“I think I let the bad shots get to me,” Richey said. “I need to work on my irons; my chipping and putting were decent.”
Pompilio’s round included a birdie on the 285-yard, par-4 No. 4. Unfortunately, there was also one quadruple-bogey, one triple, five doubles and four bogeys to accompany six pars.
Waggoner had three quadruples, one triple, six doubles, and eight bogeys.
Owen County easily won the team title – a 104-stroke win over Gallatin County. The Rebels swept the first four spots – Lucy Dunavent fired an even-par 72, Lexie Chappell was second with a 78, Andie Baumann was third with an 80, one stroke ahead of Emily Stedam.
Brossart placed fifth, Campbell County was sixth, and Highlands was seventh.
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