Montague's state qualification was never really in question at Monday's Division 4 regional tournament at The Falls at Barber Creek course in Kent City. The Wildcats spent the whole day well clear of the score needed to place in the top three and earn a spot at the finals. However, they wanted a "mitten," the statewide slang for a championship trophy shaped like the state of Michigan.
That didn't seem likely for much of Monday's round - the Wildcats were down double-digit strokes to NorthPointe Christian at the halfway mark and were still down nine with six holes to play - but the Wildcats pulled it out with their signature depth, clinching the trophy on the very last hole of the round to win by one stroke, 391-392.
"Honestly, I’m still in shock that we pulled it out," Montague coach Phil Kerr said. "The course played incredibly tough, and we didn’t get off to a good start...Even with all the success we’ve had over the years, this is only our
third regional title, and it’s incredibly hard to win 'mittens.' I’m so
grateful for the memory this creates."
Montague advanced to the state finals, which will be played at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids in a two-day event Oct. 17-18.
The Barber Creek course was a bear Monday; individual medalist Izzy Duflo of NorthPointe Christian shot an 89, her worst 18-hole score of the entire season.
The Wildcats' usual top player, Cadence Fox, wasn't immune, either, as she went through a rough early stretch that saw her go 18 over par over 6 holes. That swung the pressure to the rest of the lineup to pick her up, and Addi Smith and Brynlee Kessler answered the call.
Smith knocked in an early birdie as part of a six-hole stretch that saw her play at only three over par, buoying her to an impressive third-place individual finish with a final score of 92. Kessler had some occasional struggles, but avoided any disastrous holes, which was good enough to propel her to a 93 and a fourth-place finish. Fox showed some fortitude by bouncing back from a tough start and shooting a 45 on the back nine for a total score of 99, good for an eighth-place tie.
"Addi Smith was incredible today, Brynlee Kessler was right behind her,
and Cadence flipped a switch and turned it on when she made the turn for
the back nine," Kerr said. "It was just another testament to how deep this team is. For Addi and
Brynlee to carry us when Cadence didn’t have it shows exactly why this
group is so special."
Molly Mulder's 105 closed out Wildcat scoring, and Marguerite O'Connell shot a 110. On a day when only 10 players in the entire field broke 100, those scores were more than good enough for what the Wildcats needed.
As the team chipped away at NorthPointe Christian's lead down the stretch, Kerr said, the players maintained belief they would bring home the championship, and executed with big shots to make it happen.
"One through five, these girls have made incredible strides in every part of their games," Kerr said. "We’re going to enjoy this one and reflect on what’s been an amazing season."
At the same time, the Wildcats have their eyes on more. The previous two Montague teams to win regional championships both followed it up with state titles. This squad wants to keep that streak going.
"We know we’ve got work to do," Kerr said. "We’ve got about a week and a half to clean
some things up. If we want to consider ourselves serious contenders, we
have to play better, one through five, than we have the last two
weeks. I’m excited to get back to work tomorrow, celebrate this win for a
couple of days, and then grind through the next stretch to make the
most of the opportunity in front of us."
