Dakota downs LC North in district semifinal
Name a few very, very bright objects.
Say a sparkling diamond. Or that light that emanates from the top of the Luxor hotel in Vegas.
Maybe the North Star. As long as the talk has turned North, let’s add one more thing to the list: the future of the girls’ golf team at Lutheran North.
Coach John Bergmann’s Mustangs finished second behind Marian at the Lower Peninsula Division 3 state meet played at Forest Akers West in East Lansing on Saturday.
Freshman Lauren Timpf shot a 71, which was just one shot off the medalist honors shared by Shannon Kennedy of Marian and Grand Rapid Christian’s Ryan Breslin, who both shot 70.
Timpf’s teammate, Taylor Elias, finished in a tie for fifth overall with a 76. She is just a sophomore.
Aileen Cosentino was Lutheran North’s third best golfer at the state meet. She shot an 88. She, too, is a sophomore.
The final two scorers were seniors Julia Zauel (92) and Emily Hohensee (100).
Lutheran North competed without the services of junior Sarah Doletzky, who was sidelined due to illness. She is usually the team’s number three player.
“We’re blessed to have some talented players,” said John Bergmann, the coach at Lutheran North. “If things fall into place I think we have a chance to win three state championships in a row.”
It was the 10th consecutive season that North has qualified for the state meet.
Due to concern over the coronavirus, the state finals were a one-day, 18-hole round, instead of the traditional two-day, 36hole format in order to eliminate teams needing to stay overnight.
Also, only the two top teams and top two individuals not on a qualifying team advanced to the state finals in each division. That was one fewer teamand individual per regional in order to keep the finals fields at 72 golfers.
Lutheran North is also the reigning county champion, topping the field at Cherry Creek on September 30. That field included Eisenhower, which had won the previous two county meets.
At the county meet, Timpf led the Mustangs with a 75, trailing only fourtime meet medalist Ariel Chang of Eisenhower, who shot a six-under-par 66. Following Timpf in the scoring for Lutheran North were Elias and Doletzky with 86s and Zauel with 94.
Bergmann has been the head coach at North for two years. He took over for Lori Gill
Gill had coached at Lutheran North for 31 years; 21 years with the girls team and a decade leading the boys.
Her girls won back-toback state championships in 2016 and 2017 and finished second in 2015.
Bergmann knew he had rather larger Footjoys to fill.
“As a coach, part of my job is to really help them understand the game. To teach them good course management and the rules of the game. When they get on the course and things start to happen, it can unravel really quickly. I want them to be prepared for that,” said Bergmann.
“Golf is a lot like life. You have to adapt and overcome. Everybody plans on putting the ball straight down the fairway, but what if that doesn’t happen? After a bad shot, what do you do to get yourself back on track? How can you put yourself in the best possible position?” the coach continued.
There was only one better position at the Division 2 state finals this past weekend. Take a look into the dimpled crystal Titleist. The future looks mighty bright for the Lutheran High Mustangs.