Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Madisonville-North Hopkins golfers Lauren Mashburn and Rose Ripa each finished with individual season-best scores, and the rest of the Lady Maroons followed with strong play to win a tri-match Monday evening at Lakeshore Country Club.
Mashburn shot a 37 to earn the medalist honor while Ripa turned in a 40 for the day’s second-best score as both helped North (170) defeat Muhlenberg South (186) and Apollo (196).
Not only was Ripa’s score a season-best, but it was a career-best in high-school competition for the sophomore. Mashburn missed tying her career best, set in 2007, by one stroke.
Ripa, who bogeyed her first and second holes Monday, said she did not feel comfortable until a few holes in because the driving range was closed before the match.
After the slow start, Ripa parred both the third and fourth holes and finished strong as well with a par and birdie to end the day. Ripa’s birdie on the ninth hole came after she knocked down a 30-foot putt.
Ripa nailed the putt in front of a growing crowd near twenty people. Once she walked off the green, an excited Ripa described her last shot of the day.
“I just sank it in,” she said. “I’m pretty happy about it. I have awful stage fright. I was just hoping that it would make it in.”
North coach Sam Westfall said Ripa’s improvement has come as a result of her experience.
“She’s probably got the best management on the team right now,” he said. “This is her third year and that’s about when they start playing well.”
Ripa agreed with her coach and said the major difference this year has been her mentality toward golf.
“Just maturity in the game pretty much,” she said. “This year I’ve been getting serious about the game.”
While Ripa may be gaining experience, Mashburn, a senior co-captain, has plenty, but is still coming into her own after taking part in the Governor’s Scholar Program this summer.
Although Mashburn has only been practicing with the team a few weeks now, she has found her stroke, claiming medalist titles in back-to-back matches.
“She struggled at first, and you’re going to do that when you take five weeks and don’t pick up a club, but she’s in the groove,” Westfall said. “I think she’ll only get better.”
Like Ripa, Mashburn also birdied the ninth hole, but Lauren nearly made an eagle putt to tie her personal best score.
From 140 yards out, Mashburn stuck her second shot six feet from the pin. Her eagle-attempt, however, was strong, and she settled for birdie.
Mashburn said her final hole was indicative of how her play went throughout the day.
“My second shot was really good today,” she said. “They were dead on. I just have to work on my short game. There’s always room to do something in this game.”
Behind Mashburn and Ripa, senior co-captain Mikayla McKenzie finished with a 46 and freshman Tori Eddings followed one stroke later at 47. Junior Sydney Fredrick and sophomore Ashley Mashburn contributed with 48 and 52 respectively.
Westfall said it’s not just one or two golfers who are performing well because his whole team is improving each time out.
“I think Tori’s close, I think Sydney’s close,” he said. “Mikayla had the third-best score Saturday on the front side, so she’s right there. If (the whole team) peaks at one time, it’s going to be real good, I’m hoping it’s regional.”
The Lady Maroons will look to continue their improvement and success today when they visit Owensboro Catholic.
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