Girls Golf Finishes Strong with 8th Place at State

The season concluded for our Girls Golf team as they secured an 8th-place finish at the State Championship. The Lady Dragons displayed tremendous effort across both days of competition.

State Tournament Highlights: The team had a strong start on the first day, spearheaded by Allison Loudenback (Senior), Eleanor McKlin (Senior), Gracie Ladd (Sophomore), and Bri Pfaff (Senior). Coach McDaniel shared that the goal for day two was "to play smart golf" and aim for a lower team score. Here's how the individuals performed:

• Allison Loudenback fired two consistently solid rounds, shooting 109 on both days.

• Eleanor McKlin had a long stretch of excellent golf on day two, despite hitting the course's toughest holes during the windiest part of the day. She finished only two shots worse than her first round (98 on day one; 100 on day two), leading the team in scoring at State.

• Gracie Ladd showed the most improvement, dropping her score from 106 in the first round to an impressive 99 in the second. Gracie made pivotal adjustments to her chipping and pitching around the greens.

• Bri Pfaff also improved her score by two shots on the second day (shooting 127 compared to 129 on day one).

Season Recap and Key Players: Coach McDaniel reflected on a season defined by a "singular focus" in every round, practice, and drill. The team's numerous achievements include:

• 1st Place at the Farmington Stroke/Scramble Combination match.

• 1st Place at the St. Pius Invitational.

• 1st Place at the Sikeston Three Lady Scramble.

• The crucial District Runner-Up finish that qualified the team for State.

McDaniel emphasized the program's family approach: "While I am very proud of our achievements on the golf course, I'm most proud of the manner in which the girls represent themselves, the program, and the high school."

Key Contributors on the Road to State:

• Gracie Ladd (Sophomore): Stepped up in a big way all season, often leading the team in scoring, placing in the top five in matches, and medaling at tournaments. Gracie was a consistent force all year long.

• Eleanor McKlin (Senior): A major contributor to the team's victories. Her score of 38 was pivotal in the win at Farmington, and her two rounds led the team at the State tournament.

• Allison Loudenback (Senior): A consistent contributor who fulfilled her goal of making it to the State Championship and delivered two consistently strong rounds there.