The Oconto Falls High School girls golf season came to an end Monday at the WIAA Division 2 sectional at Fox Valley Golf Course in Kaukauna.
The team placed eighth with a 445 and did not qualify for the state meet. Brittany Russell and Bridgett Gorman each shot 110s to lead Oconto Falls. Kalie Elkins fired a 112 and Brianna Lefebre a 113.
“We were all business, but it was a sense of calmness compared to when we were at regionals,” Panthers head coach Paul Luebke said. “At regionals (Sept. 30), it was a little bit more like we have to do this, this and this.
“We golfed with Marinette and Denmark today, so we had a sense of calmness because we golfed with people we knew. So it was very nice.”
Fox Valley Lutheran and The Prairie School advanced to state as the top two teams out of the sectional, with scores of 348 and 351, respectively.
Stanley Wang (74), of St. Thomas More, Kayla Thielen (78), of Marinette, and Lori Meyer (78), of Freedom, all advanced to the state meet next week in Madison.
The Panthers had to withstand a nerve-wracking regional to extend their season to Monday.
After all five Oconto Falls golfers finished their rounds at Golden Sands Golf Course in Cecil on Sept. 30, they had to await their fate in the clubhouse.
Five groups remained on the course, including Marinette and Wrightstown, both of which were competing to earn a top-four finish and sectional berth.
The Panthers (430) stood in third place at the time.
“The expectation was that it was going to be between us and Wrightstown,” Luebke said. “If we could get a couple of girls to trim some strokes, and if Wrightstown golfed the way they did the last time we met them, we could probably beat them.”
Russell led the way with a 95 for the Panthers. She was followed by Lefebre (107), Gorman (108) and Elkins (120) as the Panthers finished with a team score of 430.
Wrightstown, meanwhile, was having a rough final nine holes. Their first three golfers all shot 55 or higher. The Tigers’ top golfer, Victoria Draxler, needed to shoot a 45 on the back nine for Wrightstown to tie the Panthers. She came in with a 49 for a team total of 434, pushing the Panthers into WIAA sectional play.
“I think they were a little shocked,” Luebke said, “but there were tears of joy.”
Luebke was excited for his girls, especially the four seniors who got to extend their season just a little bit longer.
“I won’t lie to you, I was quite happy,” Luebke said. “It was cool that the girls could continue on and golf as a team again.”
With Elkins the only returner next year, the team will have a completely new look.
Luebke said he felt a strong connection to the departing seniors because of their strong work ethic and personalities.
“We are going to miss them. I’ve been with the girls three or four years now and it’s sad to see them go,” Luebke said. “It’s a good group of kids.”
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