Maconaquah Schools

The Lady Braves picked the perfect time to play their best golf of the season. Maconaquah fired a season-low 408, improving its previous best 18-hole team score by 20 strokes, while three Lady Braves recorded career-low rounds. The performance earned Maconaquah a fourth-place finish, just 10 strokes shy of advancing to the regional as a team. Leading the way was senior Aubrey Stoll, who turned in an impressive 78 on the par-73 layout. Stoll's round got off to a difficult start with a double bogey after a pulled drive left her with a challenging recovery. She responded immediately, however, birdieing the par-5 second hole before making par on No. 3 and bogey on No. 4. A pair of three-putt bogeys could have derailed the round, but Stoll continued to battle. She showed the grit and competitiveness that have defined her senior season, getting up-and-down for par on the eighth hole and later saving par on No. 10 after finding the water. One of the highlights of the day came on the par-4 15th, where Stoll drove the ball over the green and then got up-and-down for birdie. She closed the round in impressive fashion with three consecutive tap-in pars to finish with a career-low 78. The score was good enough for second place overall and earned Stoll an individual berth in the Lafayette Regional at Harrison Hills Golf & Country Club in Attica. Junior Delaney Farnham provided one of the biggest stories of the day with a breakthrough performance. Farnham opened her round with a par on the first hole before hitting a tremendous tee shot to six feet on the third hole. She converted the putt for her first birdie of the season. She continued her strong play throughout the front nine, finishing with a career-low nine-hole score of 46, eight shots better than her previous best of 54. Farnham ran into some trouble early on the back nine but regrouped. On the 14th hole, she hit an excellent hybrid from the right rough to approximately 25 feet and two-putted for par. She added another memorable moment on the difficult 17th, hitting a beautiful flop shot that helped her save par. Farnham finished with a 100, lowering her previous 18-hole career best by an incredible 17 strokes. Her round left her only seven shots short of earning an individual regional berth. Senior Delaney Duke also saved one of her best rounds for the postseason. After playing the first seven holes steadily, Duke caught fire with three consecutive pars on holes eight, nine and 10. She completed the front nine with a career-low 53 and maintained her consistency on the back, shooting a 54. Her final score of 107 was a new career low. Sophomore Brina Smith started her round with a tremendous drive on the challenging opening hole. She struggled to find consistency throughout the remainder of the front nine and made the turn with a 64. Smith responded well on the back nine, tying her career-low nine-hole score with a 59. Her final total of 123 established a new personal best for 18 holes. Sophomore Evelyn Hanson, competing in her first sectional, did not have the round she had hoped for, but continued to show the potential that has made her an exciting young player for the Lady Braves. Despite being relatively new to the game, Hanson already possesses impressive distance and creativity around the greens. One of the highlights of her round came on the par-3 16th hole, where she got up-and-down for a strong save. When the final scores were counted, Maconaquah's 408 marked its best 18-hole team performance of the season by 20 strokes. The Lady Braves finished fourth overall, just 10 strokes away from qualifying for the regional as a team. Stoll will continue her season after qualifying as an individual for the second consecutive year. The sectional also marked the end of the high school golf career of senior Delaney Duke, a four-year varsity letter winner and a member of two sectional championship teams. Duke's natural ability, experience and contributions to the program will not be easily replaced. For Maconaquah, one golfer remains. Stoll will represent the Lady Braves this Friday at Harrison Hills Golf & Country Club in Attica in the Lafayette Regional. The Lady Braves would also like to thank all of the parents, family members and friends who supported the team throughout the season. Their encouragement and commitment helped make the year a memorable one.