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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
The Rochester girls golf team finished third to advance to the state finals in both 2013 and 2024. Top, from left, from 2013 – Kovenant Lingenfelter, Vanessa Henning, Lindsay Mitchell, Karsten Lingenfelter, Kinley Lingenfelter, Ava Thomas, coach Chad Thomas. Bottom, from left, from Saturday – coach Chad Thomas, Ava Thomas, Laynie Migonis, Molly Moore, Lexi Haughs, Olivia Bailey, assistant coach Dan Bailey.
The Rochester girls golf team made the IHSAA state finals in 2013, and Ava Thomas bore witness.
She was there at the regional at Noble Hawk Golf Links in Kendallville when the Lady Z team consisting of Kovenant Lingenfelter, Karsten Lingenfelter, Kinley Lingenfelter, Lindsay Mitchell and Vanessa Henning shot a 338 and finished third behind Penn and NorthWood.
She got her own state finals experience when she made it as an individual in 2023. But the team had not been back to state since 2013 until the Lady Zs did it Saturday, taking third behind Lake Central and South Bend St. Joe at Sandy Pines Golf Club in DeMotte.
An intent observer one year, a participant 11 years later.
Rochester shot a 356 at the regional Saturday, edging Penn by one stroke for the final team spot. Lake Central won with a 338, and South Bend St. Joe was second with a 348.
“I actually remember it quite vividly because that was the year my brother was born, so there was a lot happening that year,” Thomas said. “But I remember going to Bub’s, which is a burger place we always go to when people go to state. I remember going there with the team and stuff and watching them out on the course. That was really fun.”
Thomas was 7 years old at the time. A Grace College recruit, she was asked if that’s when she fell in love with golf.
“I think it probably happened way before that just because I was always on the course,” Thomas said. “But then after I got to see all those girls out on the state course doing pretty well, it was really exciting and made me want to do it.”
She was asked about an 11-year-old photo of her, the five team members and her father Chad, the team’s coach. She said she remembers that but has even more memorable photo of that weekend.
“There’s a picture, I believe, of me at state where we go to Dick’s Sporting Goods between tournaments, and I was hitting on a simulator pretending to practice for state,” Thomas said.
Olivia Bailey
If one thought it could not get any better for Olivia Bailey at Sandy Pines, one would be wrong.
It can get better. It did get better.
“It feels awesome,” Bailey said. “I was really hoping to go, and I just stayed confident, and I’m really glad that our team was able to go. … It’s crazy. I’m really happy that it worked out like that this year.”
Bailey shot a 72 at last year’s regional to win medalist. She shot a 77 at the Kankakee Valley Invitational to win medalist at that tournament at Sandy Pines. And now she shot a 71 to win regional medalist again.
She beat the field by five strokes. Only two other players in the field broke 80.
Meanwhile, Bailey dropped in birdies on Nos. 6, 14 and 17. That offset bogeys on Nos. 16 and 18. She also had 13 pars.
Of the 90 players at the regional, she was one of only two who birdied the par-3 17th, a short hole with a sloped, plateaued green.
Logansport’s Sophia Kay was the other, and Kay advanced to state as an individual.
“This course is really pretty,” Bailey said. “I really like it. It’s super nice. And I just think it’s a privilege to be able to come out and play at this course and have this opportunity.”
Molly Moore
Molly Moore has the opportunity to play in the state finals that her sister Payton never got.
A 2023 Rochester grad who now plays golf at IU Kokomo, Payton was on the team that finished fourth at last year’s regional. Just like last year, Rochester shot a 356.
But last year, Chesterton beat them by one stroke, and only Bailey and Thomas advanced as individuals.
“We would always talk about this,” Moore said. “When we were just in her car driving, we would talk about this moment actually happening. … And it happened. I feel so bad for her because … I don’t know. She waited all her high school career to go to state, and now the year she graduated, we go to state. … But I’m going. But she’s the most supportive sister ever, and she’s super happy for me.”
Moore had her doubts whether a 356 would be good enough to advance.
“I did not think we were making it,” Molly explained. “We were one of the first to come in, and we were already third place, so I was like, ‘Oh, there’s going to be already a team that beats us.’ So I did not think anything of it.”
Moore shot a 93 at the regional. She had five pars, nine bogeys, a double bogey, two triple bogeys and a quadruple bogey.
“Not too happy with it, but it also is regionals my freshman year, and I’m super proud of my back nine,” Moore said. “I started rough with a 50, but ending with a 43, that does show myself that I can do it on the back nine.”
Coach Thomas said Moore was “in good spirits” on the back nine, even despite the tough front nine.
“I told her not to give up and keep grinding and don’t give up on herself,” coach Thomas said. “And she didn’t.”
Lexi Haughs
Haughs had predicted the team would make state back on Aug. 10 at the Kokomo Invitational.
Her words proved prophetic.
Haughs shot a 108 Saturday, a nine-stroke improvement from her 2023 regional score. Her round included four pars.
“I’m really happy that we made it to state, and the team did really well,” Haughs said. “We didn’t do our best, but we did well enough to where we were able to make it. But compared to last year, I did better, but I know I can do way better. I had some really good shots; it’s just some didn’t play out right.”
Haughs said she struggled with her putting.
“I wasn't used to the greens,” Haughs said. “That was bad on my part because I didn’t putt enough before. So it was mostly my putting and then just ending up in bad spots when I didn’t play the best shots.”
Haughs said she has been golfing for five or six years. She was asked what advice she would give a little girl who wanted to be like her.
“I would say work hard, have fun while you’re golfing, and do not worry about your last hole or your last shot,” Haughs said. “Just look to the future instead.”
Laynie Migonis
Migonis shot a 113 at her first regional. Her round included one par and six bogeys.
She moved up from the JV and has held the No. 5 spot in the lineup all year.
Migonis said she knew Rochester had a chance to advance when Penn’s 357 was posted. The last wait was for Crown Point, but they shot 385, and it was official.
“It’s not our best performance, so I was a little scared there for a minute,” Migonis said. “But we were fine. We were fine.”
Migonis was asked about what makes Sandy Pines difficult.
“I think the obstacles, like the bunkers and the water, definitely have a huge part in it, but the greens are really fast, so I think that’s the biggest part,” Migonis said.
Planning for state
Planning for the state finals has both a logistical and a golf aspect, according to Chad Thomas.
The logistical aspect involves booking hotel rooms for two nights and creating a travel schedule.
And then there is the golf part.
Coach Thomas is used to it. In addition to the 2012 and 2013 girls teams, he also took the 2006 Rochester boys to state. Three other individuals – Kavan Hoff, Kinley Lingenfelter (three times) and Kristianna Lingenfelter – also have made state under his guidance.
“Well, thankfully, this isn’t my first rodeo, so I know what needs to be done,” coach Thomas said. “And that’s what I was taking care of – getting practice round tee times, getting (the) hotel figured out. As far as the golf course goes, we’ve got a good game plan already from last year. Ava and Olivia were there. We’ve got notes already made. We’ll take those notes and adjust them if necessary.
Once we get down there, I’ll be able to actually breathe a little bit. It’s a little different taking a team. You’ve got to take the bus, and just little things that you don’t think about instead of driving your own car. And you’ve got to make sure that all the parents know what’s going on. A lot of logistics and all that good stuff. It will be a busy week for us.”
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