The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Big Reds, Lammers head to Regionals
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 17, 2007
A topsy-turvy first season for the Milan girls' golf team has almost come to a close. Though for one Big Red, the end of the season may still be a little further off than the team's schedule would indicate.
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The Big Reds played their final two head-to-head meets of the season this week, finishing third in a Thursday tri-meet with St. Mary Catholic Central and New Boston Huron, 209 to 282 to 324, and falling to Airport Monday 222 to 261.
With the defeats, Milan's final record in their first season stands at 1-6. But as she has been throughout the season, head coach Claire Neff was impressed with her team's ability to respond to an obstacle—in this case a bout of stomach flu that kept several players from being able to compete, but didn't keep the Reds from dropping more than 60 strokes off their score from Thursday to Monday.
"I'm so proud of all of our players and the way they've handled all the adversity we've had," Neff said. "It's been a stressful year, but it's also been a successful year."
In the tri-meet, Lindsey Lammers led the way for the Big Reds with a 47, with Heather Labelle, Amber Marks, and Amber Jeffries providing the second, third, and fourth scores for Milan. Against Airport, Lammers carded a 45, followed by Allie McAfee's 62 and Marks's 70. Raven Lapointe also competed for Milan.
Lammers took home medalist honors (for the meet's lowest score) in both meets, meaning that the freshman finished the dual meet season having been medalist or tied for the honor in all of the Big Reds' Huron League meets.
But Lammers will face a much stiffer challenge this Friday when she and up to three other Big Reds compete in the Division 3 regional tournament in Grosse Ile. If Lammers can finish as one of the top three individuals in the tournament not to play for a state-qualifying team, Lammers can play the Division 3 state finals as an individual.
Neff believes Lammers is more than capable.
"She shot an 86 at the Monroe County Invitational, and I think she'll have to be under that," Neff said. "She'll need to spend some time on her short game. But there's no question she has the ability. She's been playing 18 holes every weekend. She's ready."
For the rest of the Big Reds, the goals at Thursday's Huron League meet and Regionals will be more modest, if no less immediate.
"We want everyone to shoot their best round of the season," Neff said. "Fall practice begins August 9, so there's only about a two-month break. Every player on our team is a freshman or sophomore and we want to finish on an upward note, to build for that next season. The girls we have now are really going to benefit from what we've done this year."
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