By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Notre Dame earned a berth in the girls’ state golf tournament for the 12th consecutive year by carding the lowest team score in the Region 6 qualifier that ended Wednesday at A.J. Jolly Golf Course.
The tournament was postponed Tuesday after heavy rain made the greens unplayable and golfers returned Wednesday to complete their 18-hole rounds.
Notre Dame finished with a 316 team total that was 27 strokes better than second-place Ryle. This is the 11th time in the last 12 years that the Pandas have won the Region 6 team title. They placed second behind Owen County in 2012 and both teams advanced to the state tournament.
This year’s medalist was Notre Dame senior Erin Durstock with a 73 and her teammate, Amy Pugliano, tied for second place with a 78. The other scoring golfers for the Pandas were juniors Abby Bricking (80) and Lauren Bracken (85).
Ryle qualified for the girls’ state tournament for the first time since 2002 by placing second. The Raiders’ team leader was freshman Olivia Dipaolo with a 78, followed by sophomore Brooklyn Dipaolo (84), eighth-grader Caitlyn Richardson (90) and sophomore Savanna Innes (91).
The four golfers who received at-large berths in the state tournament are Grant County senior Sarah Boden (79), Cooper sophomore Madison Smith (81), Walton-Verona senior Adriane Mason (82) and Williamstown senior Hannah Scroggins (83).
Scroggins won a playoff with Jenna McGuire of Beechwood and Cassidy Pressman of Cooper for the final berth in next week’s state tournament at Bowling Green Country Club. After the first round on Thursday, Oct. 8, the field will be reduced to the top 11 teams and top 20 individual scorers for the final round on Friday, Oct. 9.
Last year, Notre Dame finished 11th in the state tournament team standings and Durstock tied for 26th place in the individual standings.
REGION 6 GIRLS GOLF AT BOONE LINKS
State qualifying teams
Notre Dame 316 — Erin Durstock 73, Amy Pugliano 78, Abby Bricking 80, Lauren Bracken 85.
Ryle 343 — Olivia Dipaolo 78, Brooklyn Dipaolo 84, Caitlyn Richardson 90, Savanna Innes 91.
Other team scores
Cooper 365, Beechwood 371, Grant County 382, Villa Madonna 392, Owen County 402, St. Henry 407, Walton-Verona 442, Highlands 474, Newport Central Catholic 496,
Top 10 individual scores
73 – Erin Durstock (Notre Dame). 78 – Amy Pugliano (Notre Dame), Olivia Dipaolo (Ryle). 79 – Sarah Boden (Grant County). 80 – Abby Bricking (Notre Dame). 81 – Madison Smith (Cooper). 82 – Adriane Mason (Walton-Verona). 83 – Jenna McGuire (Beechwood), Cassidy Pressman (Cooper), Hannah Scroggins (Williamstown).