John Raffel
Sports Scene
It wasn’t even close.
Lansing Catholic Central’s girls golf team did more than just win the Division 4 state championship on October 14 and 15 at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers Golf Course. They dominated.
Playing under windy and cold conditions, LCC had 18-hole team scores of 329 and 324 for 653 total. Powers Catholic High School was a distant second with scores of 352 and 364 for 716 total.
“It was outstanding,” said LCC coach Mary Schafer. “The conditions were tough. The gusts were something like 60 miles an hour. It was tough weather to play golf. My kids were head and shoulders mentally tougher.”
All the off-season work the team had put in on the golf course “paid off,” Schafer said. “They embraced the weather and played through it. The second day, no rain, but the wind made it worse.”
Chloe Lawrie of Powers Catholic had rounds of 77 and 81 for 158 total and won a one-hole playoff over Monica Koert of NorthPointe Christian.
For the LCC team, Danielle Crilley and Jacqueline Setas both shot 160. Crilley had rounds of 79 and 81 while Setas had rounds of 82 and 78. Alyssa Albright shot 84 and 77 for 161 total. Janie Fineis shot 84 and 88 for 172.
Peyton Frederickson was the No. 5 player the first day and shot 94. Mary Beth Maddelena had that spot the second day and shot 109.
It was Lansing Catholic Central’s second straight title. This is the third season there have been four divisions.
“We’ve been ranked No. 1 the whole year,” Schafer said. “I had five players last year who could break 80. We lost one. I had one coming back. My No. 6 player was back. My No. 5 was a sophomore.”
A former player, Mackenzie Johnson, was a walk-on at Michigan State University.
At this year’s tournament, “they all played well,” Schafer said.
LCC wants to savor the moment of its state title. But Schafer points out her team could be solid enough to make another bid next year.
“That would be a goal,” she said. “That’s been a goal the last few years.”