In playoff among teammates, Bailey beats Thomas for medalist while leading Rochester to team sectional title

Pioneer’s McKaig also moves on after shooting 86

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Rochester girls golf team shot a 327 to defeat runner-up Rensselaer by 29 strokes and win its first sectional title since 2013 at Tippecanoe Country Club in Monticello Monday. From left – assistant coach Dan Bailey, Olivia Bailey, Molly Moore, Ava Thomas, Laynie Migonis, Lexi Haughs, coach Chad Thomas.  

MONTICELLO — Olivia Bailey and Ava Thomas are teammates and best friends. They are 2023 state qualifiers. They are golfing savants.

But for one hole at the Twin Lakes sectional at Tippecanoe Country Club Monday, they were opponents.

The part about them being opponents might have seemed awkward. But the teammates part will never get old.

Bailey and Thomas shot matching even-par 72s to lead Rochester to a 327 and their second sectional title in school history. The other occurred in 2013.

Bailey then beat Thomas on the first hole of a sudden death playoff for medalist honors. Thomas missed a six-foot par putt and settled for bogey while Bailey sunk a five-footer for par. The two shared a congratulatory hug when it was over. 

No other player in the field of 55 players was within 10 shots of Bailey and Thomas.

Thomas sunk a five-foot par putt on No. 18 for her even-par round. Unbeknownst to her at the time, Bailey had to make a six-footer for bogey on No. 18 to make the playoff against Thomas.

It’s the latest postseason honor for Bailey, who was also the 2023 regional medalist. Bailey lost as part of a three-way playoff to Winamac’s Bianca Huizar at the 2023 sectional.

Other Rochester scores included Molly Moore’s 85, Lexi Haughs’ 98 and Laynie Migonis’ 102. The 327 was the second best score in Rochester school history. The Lady Zs shot a 317 at the Rochester Invitational on Aug. 31. The four lowest team scores in school history have occurred this year.

“Really, really good because this was definitely our goal,” Thomas said of the team’s accomplishment.

Rensselaer (356) and Logansport (361) also advanced to the regional.

Pioneer's Mia McKaig shot an 86 at the Twin Lakes sectional Monday to advance to the regional as an individual on a non-advancing team for the second straight year.

Meanwhile, Pioneer’s Mia McKaig shot an 86 to advance to the regional as an individual for the second straight year. Kankakee Valley’s Kaylee Anderson (86) and Twin Lakes’ Layla Stearns (89) also advanced.

The top three teams and top three individuals on non-advancing teams moved on.

Thomas had bogeyed No. 12 but followed with a birdie on the par-5 13th hole. She parred the other 16 holes. 

Bailey had eight pars and a bogey on the front nine. She also birdied No. 13 – only one other player in the field birdied No. 13 besides Bailey and Thomas – and added a birdie on No. 16 before bogeying No. 18.

“It feels really good,” Bailey said. “That was my goal coming here.”

Among RTC area schools, Winamac was eighth in the 11-team field with a 444, Pioneer was ninth with a 445, and Caston was 11th with a 530.

Hunter Hines led Winamac with a 106, Sierra Haschel had a 107, Mershai Loehmer had a 111, Kaelyn O’Connor had a 120, and Emily Weaver had a 134.

In addition to McKaig, other Pioneer scorers included Brenner McLain’s 116, Kendra Hanson’s 120, Emma Juby’s 123, and Selena Johnson’s 132.

Shayley Strasser paced Caston with a 124. Kylie Reidenbach had a 134, Anselma Ramirez had a 135, Alyssa Smith had a 137, and Angel McVicker had a 140.

Lake Central will host the regional at Sandy Pines Golf Club in DeMotte on Saturday. Start time is 8 a.m. Rochester coach Chad Thomas said Rochester will tee off on the back nine at 11:10 a.m. Eastern.

Rochester players will be paired with players from LaPorte in twosomes.

Rochester finished fourth at last year’s regional.

“It’s a good blueprint for Saturday,” coach Thomas said. “We have the capability. We have the team that can do it. The girls just need to realize they don’t need to have a superhuman round of golf. They just need to play their best and do their job, and everything will work out the way it is.”

Twin Lakes sectional

at Sandy Pines Golf Club, DeMotte, Monday (par 72)

Rochester 327, Rensselaer 356, Logansport 361, Kankakee Valley 364, Twin Lakes 402, Tri-County 434, DeMotte Christian 435, Winamac 444, Pioneer 445, North Newton 470, Caston 530, South Newton (incomplete team)

ROCHESTER (327): Olivia Bailey (36-36) 72, Ava Thomas (35-37) 72, Molly Moore (43-42) 85, Lexi Haughs (50-48) 98, (Laynie Migonis (46-56) 102)

RENSSELAER (356): Hooker 82, Drone 85, Geleott 93, Klingler 96, (Strange 96)

LOGANSPORT (361): Kay 83, Wilburn 85, Lundy 89, Graham 104, (Kranz 107)

KANKAKEE VALLEY (364): Anderson 86, Summers 90, Norwine 91, Capellari 97, (Smith 102)

TWIN LAKES (402): Stearns 89, Morris 99, Finn 103, Galyen 111, (Alexander 125)

TRI-COUNTY (434): Tyler 94, Northup 106, Misch 114, Perry 120, (Dreblow 128)

DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN (435): Myers 99, DeVries 100, Musch 112, Lundy 124, (Marek 133)

WINAMAC (444): Hunter Hines (50-56) 106, Sierra Haschel (57-50) 107, Mershai Loehmer (52-59) 111, Kaelyn O’Connor (58-62) 120, (Emily Weaver (64-70) 134)

PIONEER (445): Mia McKaig (41-45) 86, Brenner McLain (55-61) 116, Kendra Hanson (61-59) 120, Emma Juby (56-67) 123, (Selena Johnson (66-66) 132)

NORTH NEWTON (470): Galvan 110, Jeka 115, Wagoner 121, Busboom 124

CASTON (530): Shayley Strasser (65-59) 124, Kylie Reidenbach (65-69) 134, Anselma Ramirez (65-70) 135, Alyssa Smith (66-71) 137, (Angel McVicker (70-70) 140)

SOUTH NEWTON: Arrenholz 110

Top 3 individuals on non-advancing teams: t-1. Mia McKaig (Pioneer) – 86, t-1. Kaylee Anderson (Kankakee Valley) – 86, 3. Layla Stearns (Twin Lakes) – 89

Medalist: Olivia Bailey (Rochester) – 72

NOTE: Bailey defeated Rochester’s Ava Thomas on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.