DeMoe finishes ninth in fourth state golf appearance
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NICE PITCH — Colfax senior Abby DeMoe is shown chipping a shot onto a green during the 2019 WIAA Division 2 Girls’ State golf championship that took place last Monday and Tuesday, October 14 and 15. DeMoe, a fourth-time state qualifer, finished in ninth place at the 2019 state meet held at University Ridge Golf Course. It was her highest finish in her four trips to state. —photo submitted
VERONA — On Sunday, October 13, Colfax senior Abby DeMoe made her way to Verona to get in a round of practice for the WIAA Girls’ Division 2 State Golf Championship, for the fourth straight year. The state tournament took place on Monday and Tuesday, October 14 and 15.
A four-time state golf participant, DeMoe emerged from the 2019 D2 state competition in a two-way tie for ninth place with Xavier’s Lauren Haen. Both shot a two-day total of 176, for 32 over par on the 5,216-yard, par-72 course at University Ridge Golf Course that hosts the annual girls’ state golf championships.
“Overall, it is impossible to say that Abby’s trip to state this year was anything but a success,” said head coach Ryan Krall. “She hit more good shots in the two days than she has in most of the season combined, so it is impossible to be upset with how she finished.”
DeMoe had hoped to improve from her 2018 state appearance when she finished in 13th place with 182 strokes which was 38 strokes over par and she did just that.
The first day of competition, held last Monday, October 14, was delayed an hour until the frost had burned off the course.
DeMoe hit the links at 9:40 a.m. last Monday and had a bogey on the first hole of the day. The senior had an easy putt into the cup for even par on the second hole after barely missing a birdie shot.
Holes four and seven were tough on the front nine as DeMoe posted six strokes on the par-four holes, resulting in a double bogey.
“Putting is usually the strength of her game – it has been for four years – but it just didn’t happen this year for some reason on the greens,” Krall explained. “She hit great putts and had great speed judgment both days, but we just couldn’t match that speed and the break of greens consistently enough to hole enough putts.”
She found herself sitting in sixth place to end the first day of competition where she was tied with Lauren Haen of Xavier and Caitlyn Hegenbarth of Edgewood at 15 over par.
DeMoe had trouble with five holes on the back nine as she had a double bogey on 10 and 15, a bogey on 11 and 13 and a triple bogey on hole 18.
Day two got underway at 10:10 a.m. for DeMoe, after a weather delay, as she started on hole ten along with players Caitlyn Hegenbarth, Ava Salay of Prescott and Parker Chladek of St. Croix Central.
Hole 11 gave DeMoe a little trouble as she finished three strokes over, but she bounced back on two of the next three holes to finish at an even par.
The senior fluctuated between even par and one over for most of the 18-hole course, and struggled with only three holes at two or more strokes over.
“It’s tough to sum up what Abby has meant to this program over her four years of high school golf. Every time you have a great player come through, in any sport, you wonder if there will ever be another one better,” Krall stated. “It sure would take a lot to accomplish more than Abby has throughout her career.”
Krall is excited to watch as DeMoe continues her golf career at UW-LaCrosse in the fall of 2020.
“I can’t wait to see where the future takes her,” noted Krall
Edgewood, Prescott and St. Croix Central finished in the top three spots with scores of 702, 773, and 790. And finishing in the top three spots individually were Grace Welch of Edgewood with a 158, Ava Salay of Prescott with a 166, and fellow CloverCroix conference player Ariel Heuer of Osseo-Fairchild/Fall Creek with a 167.
With the girl’s golf season now at an end, Colfax will look at recruiting and rebuilding as three of their four golfers will graduate in the spring of 2020.
State Individual Results: 1. Grace Welch 158, 2. Ava Salay 166, 3. Ariel Heuer 167, 4. Kiernan Smith 172, 4. Haley Myers 172, 6. Holly Carlson 173, 6. Sally Vangsness 173, 8. Caitlyn Hegenbarth 175, 9. Abby DeMoe 176, 9. Lauren Haen 176.
State Team Results: 1. Edgewood 702, 2. Prescott 773, 3. St. Croix Central 790, 4. Osseo-Fairchild/Fall Creek, 5. Xavier 801, 6. Wrightstown 842.