CAP-7 CONFERENCE GOLF
The Wakefield girls golf team won all seven Cap-7 Conference matches this fall, en route to its 2009 league title. Members of the squad are (front, from left) Morgan Schultz, Stephanie Pribonic, (second row) Carly Herndon, Katie Michalak, Rachel Yelle, Katie Yelle and (back row) coach Rick Riggleman.
Wakefield golfers crowned champions
Schultz wins Player of the Year honors
Halfway through Tuesday's Cap-7 Conference girls golf season finale at The TPC at Wakefield — her final league match in a stellar four-year career — Wakefield senior Katie Yelle was struggling mightily.
Bogeys filled up her scorecard early, and she couldn't seem to break the trend.
"I was having a rough round to say the least, and I don't know what it was," she shrugged.
But when Yelle turned for a comforting piece of advice from Lady Wolverines' golf coach Rick Riggleman, he offered none to the upperclassmen.
Check out the award presentation following Tuesday's match at The TPC at Wakefield.
"He actually told me to not be such a freshman," Yelle laughed.
Given the honest relationship the coach and player have, the exchange should have been expected. And it did the job.
"I parred the next two holes, then bogeyed and finished with a birdie," the Lady Wolverine explained.
With Yelle's round of 44, and teammates Morgan Schultz (37) and Stephanie Pribonic (41) continuing their dominance, Wakefield's score of 122 captured first place Tuesday, completing an undefeated conference season and winning the league title.
In addition to the team success, Schultz — Tuesday's low medalist — was named Cap-7 Player of the Year, Pribonic was runner-up and the duo, as well as Yelle and Katie Michalak, earned All-Conference honors. Carly Herndon and Rachel Yelle also play on the Lady Wolverines' title squad.
"It's just been a great group this year," Riggleman said. "They all get along, and have been fun to coach."
While Wakefield was just two years removed from its last Cap-7 crown, the 2009 version hardly resembles the previous winner.
In 2007, the Lady Wolverines were a two-player show, with state champion Courtney McKim and Yelle leading the way. (The Cap-7 scored just two golfers that season compared to three this year.)
"That group was basically me and Courtney, and the team relied on us every week," Yelle said. "We could not have a bad round or the team lost."
But the senior lauded this year's group for its depth.
"We could have someone shoot like I did today, a 44, but Morgan and Stephanie shoot 37 and 41, and it wouldn't hurt us," she explaineded. "We know one of us can have a bad day and we can still pull out the win. And knowing that makes your confidence level go up just that much more."
Entering the season, the Wakefield squad — with the graduation loss of McKim — was a bit of an unknown. And to say a conference title was expected is stretching the truth.
"I knew we had a strong team coming in, but I didn't know what everyone else was going to be like," Yelle said. "So going into the first match, and seeing how much we won by."
At the conference opener at Heritage Golf Course in late August, the Lady Wolverines posted a 122 — 13 strokes ahead of Broughton's second-place score. The victory set the tone, and Wakefield never relinquished the control.
On the TPC at Wakefield's No. 9 hole Tuesday, Wakefield senior Katie Yelle watches her putt creep towards the hole. The putt found its mark, and Yelle recorded a birdie. The Lady Wolverines were crowned Cap-7 Conference champions later that afternoon.
Leading the way was Schultz, a freshman, who's won four golf matches this season.
The ninth-grader has displayed uncanny confidence and spectacular skill, averaging just 38.33 strokes per match — nearly three strokes better than the nearest competitor, Pribonic (41).
Tuesday's match might best exhibit Schultz's mental toughness, struggling from the tee, but not letting her miscues with the driver hurt her short game. Through nine holes, the freshman putted just eight times.
"I was hitting the ball so bad, but I just tried not to get discouraged," she said.
Pribonic finished tied for second place Tuesday, and the sophomore's round helped her leapfrog from fourth to second place in the overall individual standings.
In other action Tuesday, Leesville Road maintained its hold on second place, finishing with a team score of 131, led by Kaity Fuqua's 41. Mary Lee Free shot her best round of the season (43) and Alli Mossinghoff (47) also scored for the Pride.
Peri Wolfe (52), Najah Owens (53) and Jessica Perez (53) helped Sanderson to fifth place, and Millbrook's Alex Klimczyk (54), Sarah Bashford (58) and Christen Manuszak (59) took seventh. For complete scores, click here.
Heading into the Eastern Regional Tuesday, Oct. 20 at Chapel Ridge Golf Course in Pittsboro, Riggleman believes the Lady Wolverines strong play should carry over.
"We should have great momentum heading into regionals, and we want a strong finish there," he said. "We should have one of the strongest teams 1 through 5, and we are looking to challenge last year's Top 10 finish at states."
Yelle predicted a good finish, but didn't want to jinx the Lady Wolverines.
"We are pumped for regionals, and I feel confident — I don't want to sound cocky — but I feel we can finish in the Top 3," she said.
After posting an undefeated conference season, Wakefield still has goals in mind.
Tuesday's scores at The TPC at Wakefield
Wakefield 122
Leesville Road 131
Enloe 157
Sanderson 160
WF-R 161
Millbrook 171
Overall team standings
Wakefield 49
Leesville Road 39
Broughton 37
Enloe 25
WF-R 21
Sanderson 15
Millbrook 8
