By Don Eskins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Springfield Catholic fired a team low 306 on Thursday at Bill & Payne Stewart Golf Course in Springfield to collect this year’s 2019 MSU Relays Invitational championship.
Reagan Zibilski, with a blistering nine under par 62, paced the Lady Irish to the win. It was the fifth straight victory for Catholic.
The Glendale Lady Falcons, with a 320, claimed the tourney’s second spot while third place went to Rolla who recorded a 382.
Catholic’s win didn’t surprise any of the 13 teams that had gathered in Springfield to tee up for Thursday’s MSU Relays but the Lady Irish’s score did.
“As a team we didn’t put up the numbers we’ve been enjoying this year and for the first time we faced some real adversity,” said Irish coach Frank Gallant. “But the kids kept battling and we did still get the win.”
Despite the problems the Irish incurred at the MSU Relays there were still some bright spots.
“Reagan played exceptionally well for us, as she’s done all season, with her 62 and Kayla Pfitzner, after getting off to a slow start, rallied on the backside to card a very respectable 75,” said the Catholic coach. “However our younger kids experienced some problems out on the course today, problems that we can work on in practice this week.”
“Our kids want to play well every time they tee up,” said Gallant. “But sometimes things don’t work out that way. When they don’t you just have to keep swinging and striving. That’s what our kids did today. I’m really proud of them for their efforts and I’m very confident about their ability to bounce back next week at our conference tournament.”
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Zibilski’s 62 earned her the tournament’s top medalist honors.
“I think for the most part my game was very sound,” said the Irish sophomore. “I did have a couple of loose swings though but I just found a way to get the ball in the hole. For me that’s always been the bottom line, just find a way to get the ball in the hole.”
Glendale’s 320 drew words of praise from their head coach Ron Yocum.
“Our kids put up a 319 in the rain on Tuesday and a 320 today on a much tougher course,” said Yocum. “Right now they’re playing great and I couldn’t be more excited.”
Senior Wriley Hiebert has been Glendale’s leading linkster this year. At the MSU Relays she carded a two-over par 73.
“My round went pretty well today although I did have a few putting issues,” said Hiebert. “But overall my game has been pretty solid this year.”
With postseason play set to get underway the MSU Relays has served as a quality tournament to help prepare prep golfers for the road to state for the past several years.
“We had a lot of great local and area teams here today along with many of the state’s top players,” said MSU girls golf coach and tournament coordinator Kevin Kane. “So we figure that the competition the kids see here has to be a definite plus for them in their efforts to get ready for post season play.”
Catholic: 1. Reagan Zibilski- 62, 2. Kayla Pfitzner- 75, 3. Kyleigh Pfitzner- 80, 4. Lyla Louderbaugh- 89, 5. Celia Stiltner- 92.
Glendale: 1. Wriley Hiebert- 73, 2. Susannah Blackwell- 80, 3. Halle Jungmann- 82, 4. Mattie James- 85, 5. Megan Roseman- 90.
MSU Results
1. Catholic – 306
2. Glendale – 320
3. Rolla – 382
4. Kickapoo – 387
5. Greenwood – 403
6. Kickapoo JV – 406
7. West Plains – 408
8. Willard – 414
9. Lebanon – 422
10. Glendale JV – 423
11. Camdenton – 427
12. Republic – 482
13. Waynesville – 503
Medalists
1. Reagan Zibilski – 62 – Catholic
2. Wriley Hiebert – 73 – Glendale
3. Kayla Pfitzner – 75 – Catholic
T-4. Kyleigh Pfitzner – 80 – Catholic
T-4. Susannah Blackwell – 80 – Glendale
T-6. Kortney Tucker – 82 – Central
T-6. Halle Jungmann – 82 – Glendale
