Bismarck wraps up third consecutive state championship
GLENWOOD — For the fourth consecutive year, Bismarck reigned supreme in the Class 3A girls state golf tournament at Glenwood Country Club on Wednesday.
The Lady Lions won the title with a team score of 252, followed by Charleston (280) and Prescott (297).
Bismarck senior Anna Cain earned medalist honors with a low round of 76.
“Since freshman year I’ve always dreamt about being here, just winning like my brother has,” Cain said. “My brother was a big influence on me. So [are] family, friends and everything else, so just to be here is a big deal for me. To win it for myself and my team is amazing. It’s incredible, I’ve been on this road since sixth grade.”
Cain described Glenwood as a very challenging course, but the senior stayed strong throughout.
“My game was a little bit of a roller coaster,” she said. “I started off really good on the front. When I turned the corner for No. 10, I had to tell myself to keep going and keep grinding. … It was incredible, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
She saved her best short game play of her career for the state championship.
“Honestly my short game was on fire,” Cain said. “On [No.] 1 I started off really rough with my long game, and I chipped in for par. From then on I could tell my short game was going to be ultimately what saves me. I have never had that good of a short game out on a course before.”
Teammates Hannah Collie and Erin Fendley added scores of 88 to seal victory for the Lady Lions.
“It’s a culmination of the hard work and long season,” Bismarck Coach Jeremy Norris said. “We started June 1, and the girls practice everyday. A lot of them play tournaments outside of the high school golf season, so it’s a culmination of all that.”
Gosnell’s Aspen Austin was the runner-up with a 84.
“It’s amazing, especially for my senior year,” Austin said. “It made me emotional going down 18. It feels pretty great. I did rough on the first three holes then picked it back up on the back nine and was three up from the winner and started going downhill. Got it back up and finished second.”
Collie, Fendley and Charleston’s Maddie Flynn played two playoff holes to decide third place. Collie secured the position by chipping in from off the green.
“They played well,” Norris said. “Maybe some of the girls probably didn’t play up to their normal standards, but they gutted it out and got the victory.”
For the second year in a row, Charleston finished second to the Lady Lions.
“It means a whole lot,” Charleston Coach Jay Crowley said. “It’s back-to-back state runners up to Bismarck, but they’re really good. We have a fairly young team — a sophomore, a junior and a couple seniors, but the girls work hard. Just really good.”
Flynn led Charleston with her 88, while Peri Tygart (93) and Rylee Ross (99) contributed the final two scores for the Lady Tigers.
“It was great,” Crowley said. “We had a couple of bad holes, but everybody did. They fought hard all the way to the end every hole. We got some break in the weather, which we’re very grateful for. The course is long. … It’s really tight, and the girls performed well.”