Niles golf team still improving
Published 10:07 pm Monday, September 10, 2012
Niles’ Sarah Cramer shot 52 for the Viking golf team at the West Division Jamboree held at Hampshire Country Club Monday. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)
The Big 16 Conference West Division race for the golf championship is a one-team battle.
St. Joseph is by far the class of the field. Lakeshore, which is still considered a club team, is solidly in second place.
The real battle for a position is for third place between Niles and Mattawan.
The Vikings, despite being short-handed Monday, was able to fend off the Wildcats for third place.
The Vikings’ Ele Hein finished with a 53 Monday. (Leader photo/SCOTT NOVAK)
Niles hosted the latest West Division Jamboree, which was won by the Bears with a team score of 182.
Lakeshore was second at 218, while Niles was third at 244 and Mattawan fourth at 248. Benton Harbor did not have enough girls to post a team score.
St. Joseph’s Emma Dine was the medalist Monday at Hampshire Country Club with a 44.
Sarah Cramer led the Vikings with a score of 52. Ele Hein shot 53, Abby Mattson 61 and in her first varsity match for Niles, Rikki Baker shot 78.
“These kids are trying, they are really, really trying,” Niles coach Dan Palmer said. “I’m proud of them. Ele made her first birdie and I think her first career par also. Sarah talked about setting certain numbers on every hole instead of a number on an entire nine holes and she reached that goal. Abby is being real consistent on harder golf courses. Rikki, it was her first go-round, but she stuck it out and showed character by finishing.”
West Division Jamboree
At Hampshire
Country Club
Medalist
Emma Dine, St. Joseph – 44
Team scores
St. Joseph 182, Lakeshore 218, Niles 244, Mattawan 248, Benton Harbor DNF
Individual results
Niles 244
Sarah Cramer 52, Abby Mattson 61, Ele Hein 53, Rikki Baker 78
