Maconaquah Schools

Tied with Oak Hill and only two golfers remaining on the course, things were looking bleak for the Lady Braves. Oak Hill also held the tiebreaker advantage, meaning Maconaquah needed someone to step up. Fortunately, sophomore Evelyn Hanson did exactly that. Hanson came through with a career-low round, helping lift the Lady Braves to a 217-225 victory over Oak Hill and moving Maconaquah’s record to 1-1 on the season. Leading the way for the Lady Braves was senior Aubrey Stoll, who earned medalist honors for the second consecutive match with a 42. After not getting much course time recently because of rain, Stoll showed some early rust and was four-over par through the first three holes. She quickly settled in, however, playing the final six holes in just two-over par. Her round was highlighted by an incredible up-and-down on the ninth hole after finding a pot bunker in front of the green. Stoll’s 42 earned her medalist honors by three strokes. Fellow senior Delaney Duke finished second for Maconaquah with a 55. Duke battled her swing early in the round but continued to grind out solid scores with strong wedge play and putting. Her putter cooled off late as she struggled on the seventh, eighth and ninth greens, leading to a higher score than she expected. Still, her ability to battle through the early part of the round proved important in the team victory. Junior Delaney Farnham was third for the Lady Braves with a 59. Farnham’s round got off to a difficult start when her opening tee shot found trouble, but she responded with an excellent recovery shot and managed to save bogey. She struck the ball well throughout much of the round, but a few miscues around the greens kept her score from being lower. The biggest performance of the evening may have belonged to Hanson. Her career-low 61 featured several outstanding shots. On the first hole, she hit a great recovery from the right side and advanced the ball to just short of the green. On the par-3 fourth hole, Hanson was the only golfer in the group to hit the green in regulation, leaving herself a 15-foot birdie putt that narrowly missed. She was also the only player to make par on the hole. Hanson continued her strong play on the water-lined par-3 eighth hole, where she made bogey. Her final score of 61 was five strokes better than her previous career best and came at exactly the right time for the Lady Braves. Sophomore Brina Smith, playing through a sore back, finished with a 69. Smith is continuing to work on making her swing more effective, and while the changes do not yet feel completely natural, she showed a lot of determination by committing to the process and competing on every shot. When the final scores were totaled, Maconaquah had earned the 217-225 victory. The Lady Braves return to action Thursday at Sycamore Golf Course against Whitko. The Lady Braves would also like to thank all of the parents, family members and friends who continue to come out and support the team.