Girls golf: Highland wins fifth straight sectional crown

STOW — The Highland girls golf team knows how to take its game to the next level when the calendar flips to October. The Hornets won the Fox Den Division I Sectional for a fifth consecutive year Tuesday to reach the Brookledge District. Elizabeth Coleman (4-under-par 67) and Avery Albright (74) shot career lows and Mirabella Shelton (75) finished one stroke away to lead Highland to a 296, tied for the fourth-lowest score in program history. Kendall Sprutte rounded out the scoring with a hard-fought 80. "It's amazing," Albright said. "We all work so hard. It's good to know what we're capable of and that we're going to districts — hopefully further — and this isn't our last tournament." The Hornets easily topped runner-up Walsh Jesuit (307,) with all four scoring members cracking the top 10, including Coleman's medalist-winning effort that edged Nordonia's Julia Gulla (69). Hudson (316) and Nordonia (322) joined Highland and the Warriors in qualifying out of the 14-team field. Eastlake North's Lauren Ianetta (71) qualified as an individual, as well as Brecksville's Cassidy Klodnick and Revere's Saumya Mahajan and Madison Harpley, who all won a four-player tiebreaker for the final three spots after shooting 82s. Senior Elle Baughman shot a 103 to lead Wadsworth (461), which finished 14th. Shelton matched her season best after working to bring her game back around after a rough few weeks. She was improved getting off the tee and on the greens. Shelton birdied the 304-yard eighth and 125-yard, par-3 ninth to bring her into the turn at 1-over 36. She added a birdie on the 267-yard 13th and finished eighth individually. "I kind of had been in a slump a little bit lately," Shelton said. "It feels good to come out and play well, especially at sectionals. I'm super excited that I had this opportunity, and I'm excited for next week at districts as well." The work she had put in to improve was noticed by her teammates, making the result even more fulfilling. "I know that she had been having a rough past couple of weeks, and her scores weren't where she wanted them to be," Coleman said. "The past two weeks she's worked really hard and stayed after practice with me. I'm so proud of her." Coleman, who along with Sprutte has competed at the state tournament the past two years, shook off early nerves and wet, cold conditions to match her lifetime best she shot at NCR Country Club, where the D-I state tournament will be held. After bogeys on her first two holes, Coleman played the last 16 at 6 under. The highlight came on the 352-yard, par-5 11th, when she stuck her 125-yard approach shot to four feet with an 8-iron and made an eagle putt. She also birdied the 137-yard third, 341-yard seventh, 396-yard 14th and 307-yard 18th. "Since January, I've honestly just been working to get to this place and the start of the postseason," Coleman said. "It's really nice to see that all start to come together. I can see my putts getting better and my approaches getting closer to give me more birdie looks." Albright matched her career low and only needed 29 putts. She finished with her third birdie, when she chipped onto the 18th green and made a 40-foot birdie putt. She also had birdies on the seventh and the 11th en route to trying for sixth. "Obviously, I'm excited and happy," Albright said. "This is my favorite course, so I was pretty excited to be playing it. I tried to not be nervous and just stay confident the whole time." Sprutte, who tied for 10th individually, parred 11 holes. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com. Result Fox Den Division I Sectional at par-72 Fox Den G.C. Standings (top 4 teams qualify for Brookledge District): 1. Highland 296, 2. Walsh Jesuit 307, 3. Hudson 316, 4. Nordonia 322, 5. Revere 331, 6. North Royalton 359, 7. Brecksville 360, 8. Tallmadge 389, 9. Mayfield 393, 10. Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy 398, 11. Streetsboro 420, 12. Shaker Heights 424, 13. Firestone 450, 14. Wadsworth 461. Individual qualifiers: Lauren Ianetta (Eastlake North) 71, Cassidy Klodnick (Brecksville) 82, Madison Harpley (Revere) 82, Saumya Mahajan (Revere) 82. Highland (296): Elizabeth Coleman 67, Avery Albright 74, Mirabella Shelton 75, Kendall Sprutte 80, Miley Tylicki 82. Wadsworth (461): Elle Baughman 103, Jillian Jones 112, Natalia Vujas 121, Morgan Lane 125, Caroline Kresowaty 127.