CAPE GIRARDEAU聽鈥 All along, Avery McLaughlin stayed true to her word.
The Visitation senior has repeatedly said she didn鈥檛 care how she finished individually because the team came first.
McLaughlin struggled on her back nine Tuesday but still captured an all-state (top 15) individual finish, and she was all smiles afterward because of what her team had accomplished.
The Vivettes held an 11-stroke lead over rival St. Joseph鈥檚 after Monday鈥檚 opening round of the Class 4 girls golf state tournament at Dalhousie Golf Club. That lead teetered and tottered a lot Tuesday with both Viz and St. Joe鈥檚 holding the lead at various points, along with being tied a couple times.
But, in the end, the Vivettes squeaked out a three-shot win over the Angels.
鈥淚t means everything. This is what we鈥檝e worked for, and this is what we wanted,鈥 said McLaughlin, a Richmond commit. 鈥淚 just tried to take in the moment today. I鈥檓 just so proud of these girls because they deserve it. Everyone played the part that they needed to play min order to get the win and that鈥檚 what I think is most important.鈥
Viz compiled a two-day score of 651 to just edge out St. Joe鈥檚 654 after the teams were tied with two holes to play.
鈥淟ots of emotions out there today,鈥 Vivettes coach Julie Jones said. 鈥淚t was very much back-and-forth. Very dramatic. We expected that. We knew St. Joe鈥檚 and the golf course would throw everything they had at us today. So, it鈥檚 exciting that we came out on top. I鈥檓 proud of these girls and how they handled everything that came at them today.鈥
The state championship was the sixth overall for the Vivettes, their third in four years and their second straight in the state鈥檚 highest classification.
鈥淭here鈥檚 really no better feeling, honestly. That鈥檚 your mission and that鈥檚 your goal and I can鈥檛 be happier with this group,鈥 McLaughlin said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all friends not just a team. We all want it just as bad as the other and I think that鈥檚 what drove us this week. And Julie Jones is truly the one that holds it all together. I could not ask for a better coach.鈥
In addition to McLaughlin, the Vivettes鈥 state championship team also included seniors Reese Robson and Abby Winter, sophomore Annie Rothery and freshman Emilia Brown.
鈥淚t feels great. I wouldn鈥檛 want to celebrate it with any other team,鈥 Robson said.
The Angels felt like they could rally from Monday鈥檚 deficit to reclaim the top spot in Class 4 after their seven-year reign at the top ended last fall, but their quest to extend their state record of titles to 13 fell just short.
鈥淪ometimes you win, sometimes you lose at the very end. It was very similar to the one that we won by one four years ago here (over Notre Dame de Sion),鈥 St. Joe鈥檚 coach Carol Fromuth said. 鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled with how we came back. You鈥檙e down by 11 and then you鈥檙e hanging by your fingernails at the end? What more can you ask your team to do?鈥
St. Joe鈥檚 was led by sophomore Tess Guignon, who won the individual title by one stroke, the school鈥檚 first individual champion since 1996. The Angels鈥 runner-up squad also included juniors Cammi Yelton and Maggie Drozda, and seniors Yelena Williams and KC Lenox, the latter of which was a part of two state championship and two runner-up teams at St. Joe鈥檚.
鈥淚鈥檓 just grateful for what we had,鈥 said Lenox, a Lindenwood commit. 鈥淎nd I鈥檓 incredibly happy for Tess. That鈥檚 such a great thing for the team and the upcoming years for her.鈥
The St. 不良研究所导航网址 area had four of the 10 schools that qualified for state as a team and all those four finished 1-2-3-4 to each claim one of the four available team trophies.
Francis Howell amassed a two-day total of 681 to claim its second successive Class 4 third-place finish and third straight trophy after a fourth-place effort in 2022.
鈥淭he course put up a really good fight today when the wind started blowing for those girls with the later tee times,鈥 Vikings coach Jason Ruth said. 鈥淚 was really happy to watch the smiles through the round. I was really happy to watch them fight. And I couldn鈥檛 be happier to take home a trophy.鈥
As they were last season, the Vikings were paced by senior Hannah Mottert, who tied for 10th place individually. Howell also had senior Jordyn Campbell and sophomores Kinsley Walton, Dhaara Reddy Ponnapati and Phoebe Hoenig on the state squad at Dalhousie.
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of our team. I know all the girls worked their butts off year after year,鈥 said Mottert, a Central Missouri commit. 鈥淥ur team is very young with three sophomores, so even though Jordyn and I are graduating, I鈥檓 really excited to see what they鈥檙e gonna do here next year because I know they鈥檒l be back.鈥
St. Dominic won the Class 3 title last season and moved up to Class 4 this fall and the Crusaders brought home some more hardware with a fourth-place finish, one shot behind Howell with a 682.
鈥淚 thought it was quite of an accomplishment for us,鈥 St. Dominic coach Dan Matusiak said. 鈥淐oming from Class 3, there鈥檚 a lot of competition here in Class 4. For us to bring something back is a tribute to their effort.鈥
Senior Annabelle Bush carded a two-day total of 154 to tie for the runner-up individual shot, as she led a Crusaders crew that included juniors Bella Daniel, Lily Seydel, Elaina Nieters and sophomore Sophia Bezdek.
鈥淚t definitely means a lot to show we鈥檙e still able to compete even though we got moved up,鈥 said Bush, a Drake commit. 鈥淲e definitely didn鈥檛 set our expectations high, but we definitely wanted to bring home some hardware, so fourth place is really accomplishing for all of us.鈥
MICDS has a 12-stroke lead over Cape Notre Dame after the opening round.聽
Avery McLaughlin (holding trophy), coach Julie Jones (right) and the Visitation team celebrate Tuesday after repeating as the Class 4 girls golf state team championship Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau.