Technology in golf has made great strides in recent years.
High school coaches can now sit in the clubhouse and track their individual players and team scores hole-by-hole.
That came in handy for Jefferson’s Ann Maitland as her team made school history Friday.
Photo Gallery:Monroe County Girls Golf Championship
The Bears came from behind to win the Monroe County Championship for the first time.
“I didn’t think we had won it before, but I wasn’t sure until I looked at the trophy just now,” Maitland said as her girls celebrated their title by posing individually with the trophy. “There is a lot of Bedford and Monroe on there, but this is the first time for Jefferson.”
It was a great moment for Jefferson golf.
“This is huge, especially since Jefferson is not always the greatest,” Maitland said. “But these girls are 30-2 (in dual matches) over the past two years.”
It wasn’t easy.
Jefferson never led until the final three holes at Green Meadows Golf Course.
“It was very close,” Maitland said. “St. Mary (Catholic Central) was leading most of the day, then it was Bedford. I was sweating it out at the end waiting for that last girl from Bedford to finish.”
Jefferson wound up with a round of 383, reaching a team goal of shooting under 400.
That was 7 strokes better than Bedford and 12 better than defending champion Gibraltar Carlson. SMCC finished fourth with 416 followed by New Boston Huron 425, Airport 445, and Summerfield 449.
Maitland took advantage of the technology at her disposal to track her girls and visit her players on the course at moments when it seemed like they needed some coaching.
“I did that a couple of times,” she said. “Sometimes when someone is down, they need that.”
Jefferson had three players crack 100, with Rylee Dunn tied for third with 92, Callie Calvin fifth with 94, and Olivia Peare tied for sixth with 95. Rounding out the Jefferson lineup was Kaycee Maitland with 102.
“This group is really driven,” Maitland said. “They have a lot of skill and a little luck. It doesn’t matter what it is.”
The individual champion was Bedford’s Elaina Smith, who shot 90.
“It wasn’t like I said, ‘I have to win this one,’ but I am definitely happy,” she said. “It shows a lot of progress since my freshman year.”
Smith said accuracy was her greatest strength Friday.
“I did well on the par 3s,” she said.
Gibraltar Carlson’s Anika Irwin, who finished a stroke behind for second place, was in the group just behind Smith. The Bedford senior tried not to think about the battle for medalist honors.
“I try not to look at the scores so I don’t stress myself out,” Smith said.
Irwin, a junior, hasn’t played in many 18-hole events. Carlson was loaded with seniors last season, so she competed mainly in junior varsity events.
“This is the first time I’ve played where medals were handed out,” she said. “This definitely sets the standards.”
She was happy to see her team take third place.
“Our freshmen have really stepped up,” she said.
Here are the top four scores for each school:
JEFFERSON (383): Rylee Dunn 92, Callie Calvin 94, Olivia Peare 95, Kaycee Maitland 102.
BEDFORD (390): Elaina Smith 90, Ashlen Trimmer 99, Elyse Czarnik 100, Lauren Werbiansky 101.
CARLSON (395): Anika Irwin 91, Brooklyn DesJardins 92, Andria Konczal 103, Madison Cooper 109.
SMCC (416): Gracie Gentry 95, Nora Kinsey 100, Alaina Wille 109, Ana Cuccia 112.
HURON (425): AJ Skene 103, Gia Dean 106, Addison Bozynski 107, Brooklyn Burke 109.
AIRPORT (445): Hannah Roof 96, Sophie Bucki 100, Ava Giese 120, Mariena Lambrix 129.
SUMMERFIELD (449): Ellie Noland 106, Delaney Hoffman 112, Mackenzie Ernest 115, Cameron Taylor 116.