Golfers go for it
Mary Moore, one of the team's three seniors studies a shot at Trappers Turn earlier this season. Moore, along with seniors Devan Dolloar and Kirsten Schueler and freshmen Tama Estebo and Sam Mueller will represent the school in WIAA Sectionals at Trappers on Tuesday.
By Jim den Hollander
For a second straight week, the Wisconsin Dells High School varsity golf team came together with their best rounds of the season and as a result, the team is heading for a its second straight WIAA Sectional championship tournament. Not bad for a program just wrapping up its fourth full season. The squad made up of three seniors and two freshmen put together a team score of 432, good enough to jump up from its fifth place seeding entering the Prairie du Chien Regional and grab the fourth and final team qualifying spot for Tuesday's Sectional tournament which will be played on the Lake and Canyon courses at Trappers Turn. It came as a surprise to nobody that Edgewood, a seven-time state champion claimed the Regional championship, its round of 339 giving it a margin of 76 strokes on second place Darlington-Cuba City. The Chiefs were right in the mix after that though, finishing just 17 strokes out of second spot and four behind third place Lancaster. Leading the way was Devan Dollar with a second best score of 92 while Mary Moore wasn't far off of her season best with a 102. Schueler matched the 108 she fired at the conference meet a week earlier while Tama Estebo's 130 is among her best scores and the 141 for Sam Mueller is a career best. Head coach Troy Ryan liked the fact his team stayed right in the hunt and actually looked better on the back nine. We were 212 on the back and that's our best nine-hole score of the season. Every one of our golfers improved on the back except Dollar who was 45-47 - pretty consistent," said Ryan. "Some kids struggled. Our kids stayed in well. It was cold and windy and the course played difficult. I saw some people had to bundle up and it affected their game. Our girls took the weather in stride. They just played and adapted and had some of their best rounds of the year," said the coach adding "It was a good day. They played with a lot of determination. The course didn't give up a lot of good numbers." Other teams at the meet included Edgerton, seven strokes behind the Chiefs, the host Prairie du Chien team at 440, Beloit Turner at 483 and Southwestern which didn't have enough golfers for a team score. Dollar would have qualified as an individual for the Sectional meet with her round of 92 if the team hadn't moved on, the qualifying spots going instead to rounds of 78, 94 and 95. At Sectionals there will be little pressure on the locals as only the top two teams and three individuals will move on to the state championship. Ryan admits its a longshot for the team, but there definitely could be some contenders among the individuals. "To think we're going to win Sectionals is a little unreasonable. Edgewood beat us by 98 strokes at Regionals. But, individually, some individuals, if they play well, the have a chance to go." Certainly though, the Sectional event is more of a reward for a job well done for his golfers. If Dollar, or perhaps Moore of Schueler were to step up and qualify for state, that would be icing. Its a perfect scenario though. The golfers don't even have to spend a day in a car as they are playing on the home course and all three of the team's seniors are playing their best golf of the year at just the right time. "The door is not closed for once of our girls getting in," said Ryan adding it will likely take a score in the 80's to move on. While Dollar fired a career best 84 last year, it would take a pretty amazing day for Moore and Schueler. Amazing, but not impossible points out Ryan. WIAA Division 2 Golf Regional Tournament at Prairie du Chien - Oct. 1 Team Scores: Madison Edgewood 339, Darlington-Cuba City 415, Lancaster 428, Wisconsin Dells 432, Edgerton 439, Prairie du Chien 440, Beloit Turner 483, Southwestern inc. (Team Sectional Qualifiers - Edgewood, Darlington-Cuba City, Lancaster, Wisconsin Dells) Medalist - Elliott, Edgewood 76 Individual Sectional Qualifiers - Ferrell, Edgerton 78, Waynick, Prairie du Chien 94, Runde, Southwestern 95. Wisconsin Dells Scores: Dollar 92 (45-47), Moore 102 (53-49), Schueler 108 (56-52), Estebo 130 (66-64), Mueller 141 (72-69).