Wildcats earn first trip to State

     Maquoketa Valley made girls golf history, finishing second in the Class 1A Regional Final Girls Golf Tournament May 20 at the Brooklyn-Victor Country Club in Brooklyn, to qualify for the state tournament.

     Senior Kelly Winter fired an 85 to win the individual championship, and her teammates came through with strong scores as well to boost the Wildcats to the state event, scheduled for May 28-29 in Marshalltown.

     “The girls gave it everything they had until the very end and made school history by becoming the first girls golf team to ever qualify for the state tournament,” Maquoketa Valley coach Tim Andrews said.

     East Buchanan won the team title with a score of 387, and Maquoketa Valley followed with a 398, sending both teams to State. Clayton Ridge was third with 407.

     Winter edged Courtney Olson of Clayton Ridge by one stroke to win medalist honors. After shooting 45 on the front nine, Winter scored a 40 on the back nine, the lowest nine-hole score of the tournament.

     The Wildcats had four other golfers in the top 25: Erika Supple was 11^th with a score of 100, Mady Moenck shot 106 to finish 18^th, while Faith Hunt and Chloe Roling each shot 107. Through a tie-breaker, Hunt finished 20^th and Roling 21^st. Kelsey Ries shot a 125.

     “We as coaches are so incredibly proud of this team’s accomplishments this season and look forward to seeing what they can do in Marshalltown next week,” Andrews said.