JOHNSTOWN – For all Dublin Jerome’s girls golf team has accomplished in its 20 years of existence, namely seven Division I state championships and two runner-up finishes, a district title had been surprisingly elusive over the past 10.
So coach C.D. Butcher and his players could be excused for soaking up their 12-shot victory over New Albany on Monday at the Links at Echo Springs.
Led by a 2-over par 74 from Kent State commit Alexa Prettyman, a 76 from freshman Nikitha Suresh and a 77 from senior and Rutgers commit Ellie Ryu, defending state champion Jerome shot 307 for its first district title since 2014.
No one in the 72-player field shot under par.
“It was such a nice day but the greens were brutal, the trickiest I’ve ever seen at this course,” said Prettyman, who tied for fifth individually. “They were rolling out a lot and really quick. But it was fun to play.
“I’m really proud of our team and all the hard work we put in. It’s good to win here again.”
Freshman Adella Pawlowski (80) rounded out Jerome’s scoring.
“There was no way anybody was going to luck into anything,” Butcher said. “The greens were super fast. The wind played a factor. The girls who figured out the quickest that they weren’t going to shoot their best score were going to be in the best shape.”
Only the top two teams and top two individuals not on those teams advanced to state next Monday and Tuesday at NCR Country Club in Kettering. That is a decrease from the past two years, when three teams and three individuals advanced.
Sophomore Allison Weisbrod led New Albany from the No. 3 spot, shooting a 77.
The Eagles also got a 79 from senior Ceci Coccia, an 81 from sophomore Brooke Baker and an 82 from junior Elle Furrow, the team’s No. 1 throughout this season.
“That was really big for the team,” New Albany coach Rich Ritter said of Weisbrod’s round. “When you have the third girl playing that way, it helps everybody else settle down.”
Olentangy (326), Olentangy Orange (342), Upper Arlington (343), Granville (344), Pickerington North (350), Marysville (352), Olentangy Liberty (359), Olentangy Berlin (361), Hilliard Davidson (391) and Watterson (398) comprised the rest of the team field.
Olentangy Liberty’s Aronhalt, Olentangy’s Tian earn individual state berths
Liberty senior Olivia Aronhalt used her short game to reach her first state tournament, carding a birdie on the par-5 No. 10 in a one-hole playoff to secure medalist honors (72).
Aronhalt eagled No. 7, her 16th hole of the day, and overcame a poor shot off the tee to start the playoff. After hitting the ground with her driver, Aronhalt sent her approach shot from 150 yards to about 6 feet from the cup.
“I knew all I had to do was two-putt from there, but I wasn’t going to take a two-putt,” said Aronhalt, an Indiana-Indianapolis commit and the first Liberty golfer to reach state in the school’s 21-year history. “This means a lot. I wanted this so bad. I am honored to be the first person from Liberty to do this.”
Olentangy junior Meadow Tian parred the hole, and Worthington Kilbourne junior Bella Anderson bogeyed. Tian reached state for the third year in a row, and Anderson was trying for her second state trip in three seasons.
Tian shot 1-under on the final four holes, three pars and a birdie, to tie for first.
“I guess I just locked in my focus and hit to the best of my ability,” Tian said. “By the back nine, I was set on green speed. I got a grasp on the putting speed and my approach shots.”
