By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
When the Westfall and Circleville girls golf teams get together, it’s a battle literally down to the final hole.
And that was the case again on Monday in a Division II Southeast District sectional tournament.
Alexa Oney drained an eight-foot putt on the 18th hole, lifting Westfall past Circleville by one stroke to claim a sectional title at Jaycees Golf Course outside of Chillicothe.
“This was the third time this season that we had a player step up to hit the winning putt for us on the last hole and each time it has been a different player,” Westfall coach Jonathan Barker said. “Alexa still had 110 yards left from the trees to the green, while Circleville sat 30 yards out in the fairway with both of us tied.
“Alexa did a great job scrambling to put it away. We knew we didn’t have to win today since the top five advance to districts, but we weren’t playing to lose either, even though we played today without our No. 4 Marianna Packer who was out with illness.”
It was the second time that the Mustangs edged the Tigers by a stroke this season. Westfall shot a nine-hole score of 174 earlier this month at the Pickaway Country Club to claim the county championship over Circleville.
This time, the Mustangs posted an 18-hole team score of 356, followed by the Tigers shooting 357. They’ll be joined on Monday at the Pickaway County Club for a district tournament by Southeastern (408), West Union (413) and Manchester (418).
Gallia Academy claimed the other sectional title with a round of 371 at Big Beaver Creek Golf Club. They’ll also travel to Circleville for a district tournament with Waterford (413), Ironton (441), Portsmouth West (441) and South Webster (448).
Paige Weiss shot a 38 on the front nine and finished with a scorecard of 81 to take fifth in the 71-golfer field. Emily Cook and Maddie Cook each shot an 85 and Oney posted a score of 105. Kathryn Lockhart also played for the Mustangs and tallied 125.
“Paige fired a great score in a tremendous wind today, and the Cook sisters were both solid and each shot an 85 for us,” Barker said.
Circleville’s Elaina Seeley shot a 37 on the front nine and 39 on the back to finish with a score of 76 that was only bested by sectional medalist Riley McKenzie of Crooksville with a 75.
Seeley tied her 18-hole program record with the round that she previously set in a 2020 sectional tournament as a freshman.
Isabelle Perini shot 82, Izzy Sealey had 95 and Lexy Sharp contributed 102. Claire Barthelmas also played for the Tigers and shot 117.
The Tigers’ team score of 357 set a new program-record for 18 holes, led in part by Perini and Sharp finishing with career-best rounds.
McKenna Pack (111), Mallory Stevens (113) and Karlie Gray (139) were in action for Logan Elm in the sectional.
Barker discussed winning the sectional title and facing the Tigers in a rematch next week on their home course. The district champion and best individual not on the district championship team advance to the state tournament at The Ohio State University Gray Golf Course.
“Winning the sectionals down one player was definitely a confidence booster going into districts, but we certainly aren’t taking Circleville or any of the other teams for granted,” he said. “Circleville has a great group of girls that are fun to watch and play with, as well.”
The Mustangs will look to stay sharp for the district tournament by traveling for non-conference matches today against Bishop Hartley and Wednesday versus Dublin Jerome.
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