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GIRLS' PREP GOLF: E'town knocks Central Hardin from the top spot (9/30)

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By Chuck Jones
Monday, September 29, 2008 at 8:00 pm

By CHUCK JONES cjones@thenewsenterprise.com FORT KNOX — There is a new queen atop the girls’ 3rd Region. The Elizabethtown Lady Panthers dethroned the Central Hardin Lady Bruins, winning the region championship by 18 strokes Monday at Lindsey Golf Course on post. “For the first time in a long time, we’ve won the region,” Elizabethtown senior Paige Raine said. “I’m glad that we made it (to State) as a team. We pulled it together and won region. It’s been a long time, so it feels really good.” Elizabethtown’s last region championship came in 2002, edging Central Hardin by a stroke. The Lady Bruins had dominated the region since, winning five consecutive crowns. “The girls were not playing their best, but they held together,” Elizabethtown first-year coach Kim Hartlage said. “There was a lot of pressure on them, but this is what they’ve worked for since the beginning of the season. They can say their region champs and that’s pretty special.” Raine praised Hartlage for getting the team to this point. “Coach Kim Hartlage did so much for this team,” Raine said. “I’m glad we could give her a championship. The time and effort she’s put in to make us better. She worked so hard, doing drill after drill with us. We appreciate her for all she’s done.” The Lady Panthers shot a team score of 383. Junior Kayla Kincer led the way with an 87 followed by Raine’s 90. Junior Taylor Mays carded a 95; senior Taylor Shaw a 110; and senior Olivia McMillen a 114. The top four individuals count toward the team score. “It’s really, really nice to go (to State) with your team,” Kincer said. “Taylor Mays shot really well and she was a big reason why we won. This makes me feel so good. I’m so glad I stuck it out.” Hartlage said Mays’ round gave the Lady Panthers a big lift since Kincer, who had her gall bladder and appendicitis removed earlier this season, was battling an illness and Raine struggled down the stretch. “That’s one of Taylor’s better rounds,” Hartlage said. “Paige and Kayla didn’t play as well as they would have liked, but I’m proud of them for sticking it out. Taylor had a super day today and I’m very proud of her. I’m proud of all the girls.” Like Elizabethtown, Central Hardin had reason to celebrate. After losing three of its top five golfers from last year’s state runner-up team, Central Hardin still managed to earn its eighth straight top-two finish at region, edging out John Hardin by three strokes for the other state tournament berth. “Our main goal was to make it to State,” Central Hardin junior Caitlyn Wilkerson said. “People didn’t think we could do it. We had to try to keep each other confident. We had to go out, be confident and do the best we can. It worked. I couldn’t be prouder.” Central Hardin had a team score of 401. Wilkerson led the way by firing an 83, which was good enough for third place. Senior Casey Booker had a 96 followed by Amanda Smith’s 99, Ashley Puckett’s 123 and Caitlin Strothoff’s 126. “At the beginning of the year, we had two girls that had played in the postseason,” Central Hardin coach Chris Adams said. “It’s amazing. We started the year with six players and many people counted us out. This is a great group of girls. I couldn’t be more proud of them. I was sweating it out, but they came through. They deserve all the credit.” John Hardin finished third, while Meade County was ninth and Fort Knox 12th. The course played extremely tough. The average score at the Lady Bruin Invitational in August at Lindsey was 103.4 compared to 115.9 Monday despite being 600 yards shorter. “It’s tough because you don’t feel like you played your best today,” Kincer said. “But there were some really tough pin placements. The course was tough, especially the pin placements. I’m just glad we came together as a team and won today. It’s pretty special.” It’s good to be the new queen. Chuck Jones can be reached at 505-1759

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