South coach Jeremy Boice and Ava Blume.

 

By Mike London
mike.london@salisburypost.com

SOUTHERN PINES— East Rowan’s scores weren’t phenomenal in the 3A State Championships that were played Monday and Tuesday at Longleaf, but Kaley Pfister’s 89-90 — 179 (tied for 29th) and Jaelyn Earnhardt’s 86-94 — 180 (31st) — were more than respectable.

“I was extremely happy with how our girls played,” East coach Tinsley Merrell said. “All I could think about was how far each of our girls has come with golf in a short time. They would do whatever I asked them to do, even if I told them go to run a mile.”

Merrell tells the story that when Pfister, Earnhardt and Izzy Stepp were eighth-grade athletes trying  multiple sports. she met with them and told them, “Come play golf when you get to East. I can help teach you the game, After that, it’s up to you.”

Those three were juniors this season. Along with two more additions to the team, Ava Alderman and Cailey Ludwig, they formed a squad that kept East’s long string of Rowan County titles going. They finished second in the South Piedmont Conference behind state runner-up Lake Norman Charter.

Merrell still remembers their early matches, lots of balls headed off the tee straight for the trees.

“I remember tearing up one time, wondering what I’d gotten myself into,” Merrell said with a laugh. “But they’ve improved so much. I’ve still been able to beat them, but if I’m going to beat them next year I know I’m going to have to practice a lot harder. They’re learning. They know which club to hit now and how far they can expect the ball to go. They’ve gotten to the point where there’s really not a lot more I can teach them. Lucas (Tinsley’s husband) actually does most of the instructing now. I’m the cheerleader.”

Merrell said the girls are ready to soak up the finer points of the game.

“Little things, like reading greens,” Merrell said. “They asked me why I was concerned about them reading greens now because I hadn’t been last year. I told them that there was a time when I just hoped they could get it to the green. Now they’re good enough that they can start scoring better by reducing their three-putts.”

To get to the state event, East’s girls had to survive a challenging regional course at Cramer Mountain in Gaston County.

“There’s pressure at the regional,” Merrell said. “It’s just one day and it determines whether you make the state or not, and state is always the ultimate goal. But once you get to state, it’s a fun experience. Our girls played without any drama. They played carefree. Their demeanor was excellent. They handled the rough holes in stride and moved on to the next one.”

The regional and state tournaments had a triple bogey maximum, a safety net to keep the girls from having a disastrous hole or two wreck their round.

Earnhardt and Pfister got through the regional in good shape, but Stepp, who had some strong matches this season, had a tough day. Ludwig, a wisp of a girl who just started playing golf in August, came through in a big way at Cramer Mountain and actually led the Mustangs for the first time.

Ludwig struggled some at state with 54-58 — 112, but she had an amazing season for a first-year golfer.

“She got our of synch with her hip turn,” Merrell said. “Her timing got off. That was just inexperience showing, but she’s such a good athlete that she has a very bright future in golf.”

East had played in one tournament with back-to-back days of 18 holes with the Lake Norman Charter girls, as preparation for what the state event would be like, but scores were generally higher on the second day.

“You would think scores would get better on the second day because you know what the course looks like,” Merrell said. “But that’s balanced out by the fatigue factor, probably even more mental fatigue than physical.”

Pfister, the Rowan County champ, is the steadiest and most consistent Mustang. She didn’t make any birdies in the tournament, but she had 12 pars, six each day, and bad holes were rare for her.

Earnhardt enjoyed one spectacular stretch on Monday, playing 2-under on the last four holes on the back nine.

“I saw her birdie on 15,” Merrell said. “Great drive, perfect chip, made an 8-foot putt.”

Earnhardt missed a birdie on Tuesday by 1.5 inches.

In addition to the two birdies, Earnhardt made nine pars during the event.

Ludwig made two pars.

•••

South Rowan senior Ava Blume shot a pair of 98s for 196 in the 3A State Championships and tied for 65th.

South pushed East all season in South Piedmont Conference matches, and beat East a few times, but only Blume survived the regional and qualified for the state tournament.

“She didn’t make any birdies at state and just a handful of pars,” South coach Jeremy Boice said. “The hole that sticks out was her par on the first hole she played on the first day. She was so nervous, but she had a great drive and finished that hole strong for a par. It was fun to see her soak it all in.”