ALMONT — The Almont girls’ golf team claimed a 16th-place finish at the Division 4 state finals this past week.
Play was contested last Friday and Saturday at Forest Akers East Golf Course in East Lansing.
“The girls completed an amazing year with their trip to the state finals,” Almont Coach Mark Bone commented. “I thought we played very well since it was the first trip to the finals for this group of girls,” he noted.
“I know each and every girl wanted to shoot a little lower but I was so impressed with their flight throughout the tournament. I honestly don’t think they understand how far they came in such a short period of time. I had so many coaches approach me with nothing but praise for the girls and how impressed they were with their progress. It is hard to express to the girls how proud and impressed they were with their progress. It is hard to express how impressed I am not only with their progress but how well they represented themselves and Almont the entire year. I can’t wait for next year.”
The Almont girls’ golf team took 16th at the Division 4 state finals. They are Autumn Bletch, Lillian Winkler, Nora Sinistaj, Bella Moussiaux, Jesse Kautz, Taylor Garabedian and Olivia Kotelnicki.
Montague and Lansing Catholic both posted 675 outputs over the two-day event, the former prevailing on a tiebreaker to earn the distinction of team champions. They were followed by Jackson Lumen Christi (701), Lenawee Christian (706), Remus Chippewa Hills (722), Kalamazoo Christian (736), Ann Arbor Greenhills (764), Kalamazoo Hackett (768), Grandville Calvin Christian (781), Michigan Center (793), Royal Oak Shrine (798), Traverse City St. Francis (805), Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart (811), Bath (854), Shepherd (859), Almont (873), Hanover Horton (889) and Central Montcalm (905).
Jesse Kautz led Almont with a 186 total, good for 36th overall. She shot 93 both days.
Bella Moussiaux had the next best Almont output, posting a 214. Moussiaux generated an opening round 109 and a closing round of 105.
Taylor Garabedian ranked third among Almont golfers at the state finals. She managed a 227 total, starting things off with a 103 and finishing with a 124.
Olivia Kotelnicki rounded out Almont’s top-four totals, carding a 255. Kotelnicki opened with a 123 and closed with a 132.
Lillian Winkler and Autumn Bletch also represented Almont at the state finals. Winkler posted an opening round 114 and Bletch chipped in a second round of 144.
Kevin Kissane
Kevin Kissane has been covering high school sports for the Tri-City Times since 1985. When not standing on a field or court with his camera and notepad, he enjoys golf, travel and family. Kevin is a 1980 graduate of Capac High School, and is also a grad of St. Clair Community College and earned a degree in journalism from Central Michigan University.
