Lansing Catholic’s bid for a fourth straight Division 4 state girls golf title just wasn’t in the cards this year, but the Cougars still have plenty to remember about 2013.
When the state finals ended October 19 at Bedford Valley in Battle Creek, Lansing Catholic had two-round scores of 372 and 359 for 731 total, well behind first place Grosse Ile which shot 716 and second place NorthPointe Christian with 718. Powers Catholic shot 722 for third place.
Lansing Catholic did have the state champion, Jacqueline Setas, who shot 77 and 73 for 150 total.
Rounding out the Cougars’ scores, Abby Meer had 97 and 94 for 191, Chrissy Jurovic had 105 and 92 for 197, Elaina Walling had 99 and 100 for 199, and Lauren Burnett had 99 and 105 for 204.
Coach Mary Schafer noted that the Cougars had to deal with some inexperience this season. “Lauren Burnett, our No. 2 is a senior, Abby is a freshman, and our fourth player, Elaina is a sophomore. Our No. 5 has not played until this year,” Schafer said. “I knew we were inexperienced. I made sure we played at a lot of tough invitationals.”
The coach liked how her team had been playing leading up to the finals. “I thought they were really starting to play well,” Schafer said. “We played better. We worked on swings first and I know how much players have their swings, but getting out on the golf course and learning how to score is one of the last things to come.”
Lansing Catholic finished second at the regional to Powers Catholic.
“We played OK,” Schafer said. “Flint Powers had a real good day that day. I knew we’d have to play some of our best golf in the state finals to come close to winning. I thought we had it in us. Day 2, we had our lowest score. Abby had her lowest score of the season with a 94, and Chrissy had her lowest with a 92. We played well. The kids were a little disappointed we didn’t win.”
It didn’t surprise Schafer to see Setas accomplish what she did. “She’s just a great talent and a great player,” Schafer said. “She’s a senior and has verbally committed to playing at Michigan State. This was her first time finishing first. Last year she lost in a playoff to Miss Golf, Aya Johnson [of Muskegon Catholic Central], by one shot. When she was a sophomore she was third. As a freshman, she was tied for fourth.”
Setas holds all Lansing Catholic’s school records. “She had a school record of 68 last year and also a 30 on a nine-hole with a hole-in-one. That day she shot 30 was unbelievable. We played a lot of tougher courses this year.”