Cardinals hold day one lead at state!

The Prescott Cardinal’s Girls Golf team traveled across the state to Kohler for the 2020 State Golf Championship. The tournament was hosted by Blackwolf Run, who also the presented the 2012 Women’s Open Championship.

We’re not sure who approved Mother Nature’s credentials for the day, but she showed up in full force.

The day was highlighted by cold rain and strong winds, but not entirely. After a rain and lightning delay, the Cardinals finished strong with a six-stroke lead as a team ahead of Edgewood, one of the tournament’s recent mainstays.

“It’s so tough out there when you have conditions like this,” Head Coach Chad Salay said after the day wrapped up. The sun peeked out from the clouds just at the Cardinals were on their last couple of holes. “Literally, it was tough to stand over a ball, let alone hit it.”

Officials from the WIAA elected to remove nine holes from the day’s slate as the athletes still had a full eighteen holes scheduled for the following day.

Ava Salay, who finished with the second-best score as an individual at last year’s State Championship, ended the day six over at the par 36-course, good enough for third in Division 2. Maddie Reiter was close behind, tied fifth at 10 over par. Rhi Stutz, tied for 13th, closed the day 12 over. Liz Rohl and Jessica Heinsch tied for 19th on the day after they golfed 14 over.

“Everyone stayed mentally tough,” Salay stated after the Cardinals persevered through the day. “Anytime you have a lead, you feel good. I feel we should maybe have extended that lead based on what some other teams were doing,” Salay said. “But, at the same time, you can’t get greedy. You take what you get and that’s the way it panned out today. We’re going to be happy that we’re in the lead. Overall, we’re happy. I think the girls are excited.”

The Cardinals were back in action Tuesday following the printing of this publication.

“It’s going to be a thousand times better with that sun out, but we’re not too concerned about weather. We just want to play our game,” Salay closed.

Photo by Jack McLoone.

Photo by John McLoone.

Coach Chad Salay, Ava Salay, Lindsay Olson, Jessica Heinsch, Liz Rohl, Rhi Stutz, Maddie Reiter, Coach Darren Reiter.

Ava Salay prepares to tee off at Blackwolf Run Monday.

Liz Rohl chips onto the 18th hole at Turtleback.