Undefeated LHC regular-season champs Part II

NORWALK — Perfect golf weather Tuesday allowed Newton High’s Cardinal girls to produce their second straight undefeated run through the Little Hawkeye Conference regular season dual play.

The Cardinals did not have a home conference meet in 2015. They locked up back-to-back regular-season LHC championships on the home course of Norwalk.

Newton shot a season’s-best 173 on Norwalk’s Warrior Run Golf Course. Norwalk finished second with a 189 followed by Dallas Center-Grimes at 209 and Pella Christian at 251. The Cardinals had defeated Grinnell at Grinnell and Pella at Pella earlier this season.

“You put talented golfers on a shorter golf course in good golf conditions and you can expect good things to happen. The girls made good decisions and solid shots today,” said Scott Enyart, Newton head coach.

“I’m so proud of our kids. I enjoyed watching them play well and have fun out there today. They managed the hazards on this course well.”

Junior Cydney Hillyard led the way for the Cardinals with a team-low 41 for the nine-hole competition. Hillyard was the runner-up medalist. Pella Christian’s Autumn Vos broke a PC school record for nine holes shooting a 38 as the meet medalist.

Newton junior Jessica Reynolds carded a solid 42. Senior Shelbey Cochran, who missed the final LHC meet last year because of illness, finished with a 44.

“Shelbey had a birdie on No. 6, which is a par 5 hole. Her second shot was on the green and she had an eight-foot putt for eagle. Her putt just lipped out and she tapped in for the birdie,” Enyart said.

Senior Abby Jolivette shot a 46 and junior Emily Fitzgerald had back-to-back birdies on No. 4 and No. 5 on her way to a 46. Jessie Smith, a junior, finished with a 51.

“What an awesome day for our girls. They deserved this. They clearly made a statement as the best team in the conference,” Enyart said. “They did this — 6-0 — on the road this year.”

Newton’s junior varsity also played Tuesday, winning its division with a 220. Norwalk had a 228 and DCG shot a 254.

Freshman Taylor Dydell led the Cardinal JV with a 53 followed by sophomore Lizzy Coyle with 54, junior Alyssa Bartels with 55 and senior Hannah Scotton with a 58. Senior Olivia Maharry finished with 60 and junior Amber Sorenson shot a 67.

Newton plays in the Southeast Polk Invitational Thursday at Pleasant Hill’s Copper Creek Golf Course. Tee time is 10 a.m.

The Cardinals play in the South Tama Invitational Saturday. They tee off at 8 a.m. at Tama’s Tama-Toledo Country Club.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com