‘Cat girls shoot better golf on 2nd day to retain 10th place in state

The Lady Wildcats played better golf and held their ground Saturday to finish 10^th in the Division 3 state championship golf tournament.

Wayland shot a team score of 412 and was 10^th after the first day of action. The team, once again battling high winds and temperatures below 50, combined efforts to shoot an even better 395 at the Forest Akers West golf course on the campus of Michigan State University. That, coupled with the first round, gave the ‘Cats a final score of 807.

Spring Lake was crowned state champion by shooting a two-day score of 661 for 36 holes, 70 strokes better than any other squad that qualified to just be there. Goodrich was runner-up at 731, just two strokes better than third-place Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook, which also edged Detroit Country Day by two strokes.

Grand Rapids South Christian, which finished ahead of the Wildcats in the O-K Gold Conference, placed sixth in the competition at 763. Interestingly, the Lady ‘Cats finished six strokes ahead of O-K Gold rival Hastings, which also placed ahead of them in the final league standings. So the O-K Gold was represented by three schools in the state meet.

Senior all-state ace Ali Martus fired an 18-hole score of 79 to complete her career as the best Lady Wildcat ever to step on the links. She had an 83 Friday, so she finished with a 36-hole score of 162, good for fifth place individually.

Martus was named to the Division 3 all-state team for the third consecutive season.

Anna Kramer of Spring Lake shot of 77 for both days to finish with a 154 state champion score.

Junior Alexis Kirschbaum shot an amazing 19 stroke better on her second day. She checked in with a 109 Friday and came back with a fine 90 Saturday.

Hunter Fenton carded a 106 on the first day and 110 on the second and Lauren Drew rounded out the scoring with a 114 and 116. Marisa Schild recorded identical scores each day of 141.

PHOTO: The Wayland girls’ golf team, with Alexis Kirschbaum, Ali Martus, Hunter Fenton, Lauren Drew and Marisa Schild. (Photo courtesy Terry Eliis)

Three-time all-state golfer Ali Martus