Reynolds leads Cardinals to fourth at 4A state

MARSHALLTOWN — No one on the Newton High girls’ golf team was happy with their first day of play at the 2015 Iowa Class 4A State Golf Tournament. They hadn’t shot well on Marshalltown’s American Legion Memorial Golf Course and they knew it.

The Cardinal girls knew they could do better.

Better they did Tuesday as the second, and final, round of the 36-hole state tournament was held. Newton was in sixth after the first day of action with a 391.

“I was upset with my play the first day, but I was glad I had another day to come back and turn it around,” said Shelbey Cochran, one of two seniors playing for the Cardinals at the state meet.

Cochran turned her game around, going from shooting a 100 on Monday to a season’s best 87 for 18 holes on Tuesday. Cochran had rounds of 43 and 44 Tuesday.

“Redemption is the best word to use,” said Scott Enyart, Newton head coach. “They redeemed themselves today. They proved to themselves what they could do.”

Junior Jessica Reynolds led the Cardinals all season. She led them again at the state tournament.

Reynolds came back from a first-day 87 to shoot her career-best 18-hole score of 80. That vaulted her to third place individually and helped the Cardinals finish fourth overall as a team.

Reynolds’ 167 for the 36-hole state tournament earned her third-place medalist honors. It is the highest place by a Newton girl in the state tournament.

“I worked on my irons at the (Westwood Golf Course) range when we got back Monday. My brother helped me figure some things out,” Reynolds said. “I played more competitively at state this year than I did the previous two years.”

Cochran ended up with a 187 for the two-day event, tying for 19th overall. Reynolds and Cochran were playing in their third straight state tournament for the Cardinals.

“All my shots were going straight today. They were going where I wanted not all over the place,” Cochran said. “To get here for the third time was exciting for me. To finish on this kind of note is a lot of fun.”

Enyart said it was rewarding to see all of the Newton players come back and shoot to their potential on Tuesday. The Cardinals dropped 39 strokes off their first-day total of 391. Newton combined for a 352 on the second day to finish with a 743 for fourth.

Washington, led by freshman Sarah Nacos, won the team championship with a 698. Nacos was the 2A individual champion with a 155. Junior Lindsey Repp of Fairfield was second with a 162.

Humboldt finished second in the team standings with a 722 followed by Dubuque Wahlert with a 733. Fairfield was fifth at 756 followed by Western Dubuque at 766, Adel-DeSoto-Minburn at 777 and Storm Lake at 822.

Junior Cydney Hillyard was playing in her second consecutive state tournament. She said her goal coming into the 2015 tournament was to play better than a year ago.

“Yes, I accomplished my goal. The first day was really rough, nothing was going well for me, but I stuck with it,” Hillyard said. “I promised myself I was going to play better today and I did. I shot a personal best. My putting was so much better, and I was lining them up better.”

Hillyard shot a 102 Monday. She came back Tuesday with a personal-best 88 for 18 holes of golf. Enyart sadi Hillyard had never broken 90 for an 18-hole score. Hillyard finished tied for 24th.

Senior Abby Jolivette and juniors Jessie Smith and Emily Fitzgerald played in their first state tournament. Jolivette recovered from a 102 on the first day to shoot a career-best 97 for a 199 and tied for 39th.

“I fixed some things for the second day and shot a personal best. You can’t ask for much more,” Jolivette said. “This was a great way to finish off the season here at state. I learned I need to keep my game consistent and stick with my routine.”

Smith shot a 213 for the 36-holes to end up 49th. Fitzgerald was tied for 51st with a 215.

“I learned to let the bad shots go and just keep playing,” Smith said of her state experience. “Playing two days for 18 holes, you just keep playing. I was more comfortable today than I was the first day.”

“I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I’d be,” Fitzgerald said. “It was just like any other golf tournament. My chipping went well today and I had some good drives, too. It wasn’t the outcome I wanted, but it was a really fun experience.”

Enyart said he was proud of how all the girls came back and played well Tuesday. He said they managed the course well on both days, avoiding the hazards.

“The girls weren’t pleased with the way they played Monday and they turned it around. It was a dream round for the entire team. What a way to wrap up the season,” Enyart said.

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