OHSAA girls golf: Dublin Jerome, New Albany's Mia Hammond capture Division I state titles
Dave PurpuraC.D. Butcher said relief was not quite the right word to express the feeling of holding the Division I state championship trophy for the first time since 2015.
Still, Dublin Jerome’s longtime girls golf coach felt it was an appropriate ending Saturday for a team that routinely saw all of its top five golfers shoot in the 70s, including nine such rounds during the two-day state tournament at Ohio State’s Gray Course.
“This is a group where I really wanted it for them,” Butcher said. “They prepared like crazy. They finished well. They studied their notes. They had fun. You want to see them rewarded and, in golf, you’re not always rewarded.
“Each girl had a moment. They came through and came up big.”
Junior Alexa Prettyman’s two-day total of 3-over par 143, including a 72 on Saturday, and classmate Ellie Ryu’s 149 (73-76) led the way as Jerome held off a rally from Rocky River Magnificat and finished with a 597 for its seventh title, 11 shots ahead of a second-place tie between the Blue Streaks and New Albany.
New Albany sophomore Mia Hammond won the individual championship with a state-record 136, seven shots ahead of a four-way tie for second that included Olentangy Orange junior Skylar Dean and Prettyman.
Magnificat closed to within four shots of Jerome on the back nine, but more strong rounds from seniors Mia Ringger (151, 77-74) and Addie Yarbrough (154, 76-78) helped the Celtics fend off the threat and take first for the first time since they won five consecutive championships from 2011-15.
No. 5 golfer Medha Pothuru carded a 159 (79-80).
Prettyman finished with birdies on Nos. 17 and 18, erasing a double bogey on 16, and took pride in dropping her tournament score by 25 shots from a year ago.
“I wanted to come out, post a good score and prove I’m not who I was last year,” Prettyman said. “Definitely my mental game (has improved). I’m OK with hitting bad shots, and I’ve worked a lot on that. I just told myself I could do anything, and I willed some putts in.”
Hammond, who tied for fourth last year, said consistency was key in earning her first tournament victory in more than a year.
“It’s been kind of a slow year,” she said. “I’ve played well, but I haven’t had a win in like a year and a half, so it just feels good to finally have a bigger tournament and say I won with two really consistent rounds.
“There wasn’t necessarily a stretch of holes that kind of sticks out. Everything was just pretty consistent.”
Senior Emerson Purcell (154), sophomore Elle Furrow (157) and junior Ceci Coccia (170) kept New Albany in contention. The Eagles were four shots behind Jerome after Friday’s first round.
Dean said two birdies on the back nine after a stretch that included a few bogeys keyed a strong finish.
“I set my goals high so this wasn’t out of the picture for me,” said Dean, who tied for 15th in her state debut last fall. “I had a couple rough holes and I struck through it, never counted myself out.”
Olentangy sophomore Meadow Tian shot 72 on Saturday and finished sixth (145).
Led by Lydia Wigal’s 162 (77-85), Granville finished 11th (686) in its first Division I tournament.
Avery Staten (168), Olivia Jones (172) and Hannah Huggins (184) rounded out the Blue Aces’ scoring. All are expected back next year — Huggins, Jones and No. 5 golfer Ainsley Laidlaw-Smith are juniors and Staten and Wigal are sophomores.