Girls golf: Piper Stenzel, Seneca win first regional championship

SPRING VALLEY – Seneca coach Todd Yegge didn’t want to tell Fighting Irish freshman Piper Stenzel what was at stake on the last hole of Thursday’s Class 1A St. Bede Regional at Spring Creek Golf Course.

And she’s glad he didn’t.

Stenzel sank a par putt on No. 18 to claim medalist honors and help put the finishing touches on Seneca’s regional title, edging El Paso-Gridley 412-415. It was Seneca’s first regional golf championship in school history, girls or boys.

“I think it’s really amazing. Our team’s done really good this year, so I’m really proud of everybody,” Stenzel said.

She became the first regional champion for Seneca since her dad, Kyle, won as a junior in 1996 at Edgewood Golf Club in McNabb.

Yegge made sure he didn’t let Stenzel know how close she and the team were to winning.

“I did not want to put the pressure on. She’s a freshman with a lot of experience. Should be exciting for her to win her first regional tournament, not only as individual, but as a team,” he said.

“She needed to make par just to win the tournament, and she did that. It came down to her. Really, that decided the tournament. She was neck-to-neck with the Roanoke girl. They’ve been battling all year, and today it was close again.”

Stenzel carded an 86 to edge Roanoke-Benson’s Addy Heinecke (88), who last week won the Tri-County Conference championship.

Not knowing what’s at stake is good, Stenzel said, but she also brings confidence to the course.

“Yeah, I did not know anything, so I’m really glad I made that putt. I feel like I don’t have as much pressure on me [that way],” she said. “I do feel some pressure sometimes if I’m really close to people, but I’m also like, ‘Ok, I got this.’ ”

Erie-Prophetstown is sending three girls to sectionals: sophomores Michelle Naffziger (104) and Isabella Johnston (109), and junior Lilllian McWilliams (110).

Fieldcrest qualified two girls, with junior Jessica Schultz placing fifth at 95 and senior Ava Marty 12th at 107.

Princeton junior Addie Carr also qualified, placing 14th with a 108.

“We got off to kind of a slow start and it came down to the last two holes. I think we fought really hard on No. 17 and No. 18 with our scores, and it moved us into the lead,” Yegge said. “Those last two holes were kind of nerve-wracking. As all of our players were coming in, we knew it came down to 17 and 18 for everybody.”

Stenzel needed to two-putt from about 40 feet to hit par on No. 18.

Other scorers for Seneca were junior Shelby Walsh (105), senior Julia Hogan (107) and sophomore Camryn Stecken (115). Seniors Addison Stiegler (118) and Jolena Odum (128) also contributed.

Stenzel is excited to move on as a team.

“I think it’s going to be harder at sectionals, but I think we can do still do good and make state,” she said.

Princeton’s Carr has come a long way in only her second year in golf, lowering her average by eight strokes. And she especially enjoyed the moment that she topped her brother Jarrett, a former Tigers golfer.

“It means so much to me. It’s a really big deal for me that I’ve gotten this far this year and how much I’ve improved. Compared to last year I feel so much more confident in my game,” she said.

“To me, making it to sectionals is a really big accomplishment. My brother never made it to sectionals, and he played for four years, so I think that means I’m better. I’m so, so excited to represent PHS at sectionals this year, and excited to see where it takes me.”

“Addie making out this year is well-deserved. She has worked really hard this season individually and as a team leader,” PHS coach Brandon Crawford said.

Other scorers for seventh-place Princeton (465) were senior Addie Hecht (115) and senior Ava Morton and sophomore Reese Reviglio with 121s.

The season ended for host St. Bede along with Bureau Valley and Hall.

The ninth-place Bruins (482) were led by senior Erin Dove (114) with sophomore Anna Cyrocki adding a 115, senior Isabella Hagenbuch a 126 and sophomore Mae Hagenbuch a 127.

Bureau Valley senior Rashida Martin shot a 118 in her final match for the 10th-place Storm (534).

Senior Chesney Auter led three Earlville golfers with a 113.