Aug. 25—Last year, only one Tuscola team claimed a Mountain 7 championship — the girls’ golf team.
“We have a lot of returners and a lot of excitement,” Tuscola head coach Sean Williams said. “I’m excited for all 10 girls to improve. We have a lot of girls that have potential to make the regional.”
The golf team doubled in size this year, growing from five to 10 players since last season, making it the largest girl’s golf team in the conference.
This year, the team aims to continue the momentum of back-to-back conference championships with the advantage of a favorable Haywood-heavy schedule. Out of 21 matches and tournaments, 16 take place on golf courses within Haywood County.
“You’re more comfortable. You’re more familiar with it. From a mental standpoint, it’s huge. It’s always an advantage because we don’t have to worry about packing up and leaving a half day and traveling to and from,” Williams said.
Haywood County is not only flush with golf courses, but course managers have been willing to welcome the team with open arms for both practices and matches to cultivate the future generation of golfers — even if it means giving up tee times from paying golfers and members for an afternoon.
“Haywood County golf courses are big supporters, so you don’t have to go away. Everyone likes to come to Haywood County because we have such great access,” Williams said.
The team’s first trip out of the county for competitive action will take place Sept. 20 in the North State Girls’ Invitational at Buies Creek at Campbell University.
While the closeness of the matches plays into Tuscola’s hands, there is a downside also.
“It’s a good advantage because we know the courses a lot more, and they’re a lot closer, so it’s not as scary because we are familiar with them,” senior Sakari Morgan said. “But I like to travel.”
On top of that, the regional championship is being held at Springdale Resort in Cruso, a course the team is already familiar with and will be even more familiar with after eight events there this season.
“Springdale, and all the golf courses in Haywood County, really put the red carpet down for high school golf,” Williams said.
The regional also serves as the team’s No. 1 golfer, junior McKenna Williams, home course. She is the back-to-back Mountain 7 Conference Player of the Year. Having the regional tournament on her own turf will only help that.
“Hopefully, that’s an advantage,” she said.
Tuscola picks up match wins
The team currently has five matches under their belt from their first week of competitive play. Through those five matches, Tuscola has posted a team record of 4-1.
The team teed the season off with a three-team match at the Waynesville Inn and Golf Club last Thursday.
“We were ecstatic about it,” Sean Williams said. “It was a great experience. The rough was tough. We played well as a team, though.”
McKenna Williams put together a personal best of 33 in that season opener. Three other golfers on the team have scored personal bests in their first week of matches as well: senior Sakari Williams with a 45, freshman Abbey Adams with a 46 and sophomore Josie Ostendorff with a 47.
So far this year, Williams has taken home the top score in all but one of the matches.
“I am feeling good,” she said. “I’ve been ready to play. I play in tournaments over the summer, so I was ready.”
Tuscola took home that first win of the season, outshooting West Henderson and Cherokee with scores of 126, 146 and 153. Team scores are calculated based on the cumulative scores of the top three golfers of the day.
The next match came the next morning as Tuscola and Rabun Gap faced off at Springdale. The Eagles got the advantage in that morning session before an afternoon session between the Mountaineers, Eagles and Smoky Mountain at Laurel Ridge saw the Mounties back on top of the leaderboard again.
“We’ve been doing really good, and I feel like we’re just going to get better as it goes on,” sophomore Haiden Woods said.
On Monday, the Mounties took down Smoky Mountain in a dual meet 140-167. Sophomore Josie Ostendorff scored 47 and freshman Abbey Adams dropped a 49 behind McKenna Williams’ 44. Tuscola swept the top three spots in the match.
“I’m feeling great about this year,” Ostendorff said. “I’ve definitely had a lot of improvement from last year.”
Then, on Tuesday, Tuscola welcomed West and Smoky to Springdale, where the Mountaineers again took the top spot 134-142-174. Williams and Adams led the way for the Mountaineers with a 38 and a 46.
“I feel really excited about getting to play with all girls this year, but I’m still kind of nervous because I’m new, and I’m not as experienced as everyone else,” Adams said. “But I’m really excited about it.”
Adams is the lone freshman among the team’s top five players. She said the jump from middle school to high school has been interesting.
“It’s been different,” Adams said. “Last year [in middle school], it was coed, and most of the team was boys. I prefer playing with all girls much better. I feel like I’ve grown already over the past few weeks.”
For others, it’s been a transition from a freshman to being a second-year player. This can add stability for players as they find their footing with their new squad.
Last year, Ostendorff walked on to the team as a beginner. It was daunting, but the team was in need of a fifth player, so she decided to give it a swing. She shot a 72 on nine holes her first match of the season last year, but shed points quickly thanks to Williams’ coaching — witnessed by her personal best of 47 during the first week of matches this year.
“Going from not playing to joining the golf team last year, it was a big adjustment,” Ostendorff said. “But now I’m kind of just rolling right into the season.”
The team’s coach said they are looking to continue their success of recent years by continuing to improve this season.
“I’m excited to see the scores,” Sean Williams said. “It’s kind of like the stock market, but you hope to go the other direction. You can have the peaks and valleys, but if that trend is going down, that’s what we’re looking for.”
He said that the courses in Haywood County provide them an opportunity to improve their game due to the difficulty they provide.
“The challenge is there with these golf courses in Haywood County,” Sean Williams said. “There’s not really a short course we play this year. There’s a lot of challenge, which is great because [in the] postseason, you get into that.”
One unique thing about golf, and high school golf specifically, is that you spend more time with your opponents during the matches than you do with your own team. Each team’s No. 1 golfers play through the course together, followed by the teams’ No. 2 golfers, and so on.
“I’m most excited for getting to know the girls on the other teams,” Ostendorff said. “We spend most of our time with girls on the other teams. They’re great competition, but they’re also really friendly and really encouraging and fun to be around. I guess that’s what makes golf so unique.”
Woods echoed the sentiment.
“I’m just excited to spend time with my friends and to meet new people,” she said. “It’s been nice to get to know all the other girls from teams we’ve played with. They’re all super nice.”
While the girls continue to enjoy spending time with players from other schools, it’s been the Mountaineers walking off the course victorious most of the time.
“I look for a lot of wins and very, very few losses this year,” Coach Williams said.