Chalk up another championship for the soaring Reeths-Puffer girls golf team!
And you can add another title to Paige Anderson’s growing individual list, as well.
The Rockets, who battled to the championship at the GMAA City Tournament last week, accomplished another major goal on Wednesday when they roared to the title at the O-K Green Conference Championship Tournament at The Ravines Golf Club.
The Rockets finished with a team score of 363, a full 15 strokes ahead of defending champion and archrival Mona Shores.
Page Anderson, who won the individual title at the O-K Green Conference Championship.
The first-place finish means the Rockets will share the overall conference championship with Mona Shores, which finished first in the regular season standings.
The overall conference championship is the first for the R-P girls golf team in five years.
“I am running out of words to describe this group of young ladies,” said R-P Coach Matt Pallett. “They continue to work hard to achieve goals. We are enjoying this great season and we’re looking forward to competing in regionals.”
Anderson, R-P’s All-State senior, was the individual champion in the tournament, shooting an even-par 72 and finishing two strokes ahead of Zeeland East's Carly Lukins.
Sophia McCollum, who finished fifth in the individual standings.
“The win today makes five straight wins for her, and that is against some good competition,” Pallett said about Anderson. “She is a great player. She ended up with the lowest average in the conference this year. That says a lot when our conference has three returning All-Staters in it.”
Freshman Sophia McCollum and junior Rowan Bluhm also won individual medals for the Rockets.
McCollum finished fifth overall with an 84 and Bluhm was sixth with a 92.
Avery Luna shot a 105 for the Rockets while Abby Haak shot a 126.
Rowan Bluhm, who finished sixth overall.
Anderson, McCollum and Bluhm also earned official “All Conference” honors for the season.
“We talk a lot about mental toughness on the golf course,” Pallett said. “It is sometimes easy to talk about but hard to actually do. Both Rowan Bluhm and Sophia McCollum had stretches today that tested their mental toughness.
"The fact that they both got through those tough stretches and finished strong were key to us winning today.”
