High school golf: Lydia Dorman finds rhythm as Medina girls beat Cloverleaf

GUILFORD TWP. — Senior Lydia Dorman easily outpaced the field Wednesday to lead Medina's girls golf team to a 178-197 non-league dual victory over Cloverleaf. Dorman carded a 3-over-par 39 on Rawiga Golf Club's front nine to bring in the best score by four strokes. "I thought a lot of my shots were good and a lot of my drives were good," Dorman said. "I felt like I was in a good headspace and had a good rhythm going. It was fun to talk with (Cloverleaf's Addie Leonard and Khera Miller) throughout the holes, and I had a good time." For the rest of the field, the Colts' home track proved to be a difficult testing ground with tree-lined fairways and fast, sloped greens. Fellow Bees senior Stella Burns turned in the next best score with a 43. The Colts were led by freshman Quinn Malarkey's 46, which tied Medina's third-best score from senior Camille Christeon. "It was kind of a rough day," Burns said. "It's good that we all came out and gave it our best, even though we're all not happy (with our scores)." The dual victory was the second in as many days for the Bees, whose veteran squad also includes senior Carleigh Johns. Medina already has won the first two of four Greater Cleveland Conference tournaments and is aiming to push further into the postseason after qualifying for the Brookledge Division I District last season. "There's been ups and downs already, but we're just at the beginning of (the season)," Dorman said. "I'm hopeful that our team can make it to the state tournament and think we can do well with all of the seniors, especially." Johns matched sophomore Corinne Christeon for Medina's final counting score of 50. Cloverleaf (3-1) will return to Rawiga today for a Metro Athletic Conference match with Norton and Streetsboro. The Colts are 3-0 in MAC play, having already beat the Panthers and Rockets on their home courses. Malarkey has been key to Cloverleaf's success so far, adjusting to the high school game quickly. "I feel like I'm in a pretty good spot for just being a freshman," Malarkey said. "I usually played in PGA tournaments, and this is a little bit more relaxed, I would say. This is more easygoing." Ally Kogler followed Malarkey with a 48 as the only Colts to break 50. Dorman, who lowered her average to 43.1, credited a strong mental game to helping her birdie the 368-yard, par-5 third hole and the 256-yard fifth. She had hit a 120-yard 9-iron approach into the green on the third and chipped to 6 feet with a 56-degree wedge on the fifth. Burns battled inconsistent striking but still managed to keep the round together. After thinly hitting her drive and second shot on the third hole, she stroked a hybrid nearly 200 yards to hit the green and pick up a par. "I wasn't hitting it the way I wanted to, but there was a few shots," Burns said. "It doesn't matter how you get there, just as long as you play it through." Malarkey parred her first two holes and was only 1 over after three after saving bogey with a chip-in from right of the green. She was unable to keep the momentum. "My first few holes were pretty good, but the last three kind of bombed," she said. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Medina 178, Cloverleaf 197 at par-36 Rawiga G.C. Medina (2-0): Lydia Dorman 39, Stella Burns 43, Camille Christeon 46, Carleigh Johns 50, Corinne Christeon 50, Morgan Deeringer 51. Cloverleaf (3-1): Quinn Malarkey 46, Ally Kogler 48, Mackenzie Seiwerth 51, Sydney Jones 52, Addie Leonard 58, Khera Miller 59.