Nail-biter ending at regional advances both county girls golf teams to sectional

Hit the refresh button. Take a bite. Refresh.

It was a sequence repeated over and over again by the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau High School girls golf team last Wednesday as they ate at a restaurant and waited for the final scores to load from its regional tournament in Black River Falls.

The Red Hawks were in fifth place when they finished for the day, but the final groups were still finishing their rounds at Skyline Golf Course. The team went to eat a late lunch as they watched the final scorecards enter the online scoring system.

With every new score came excitement, and then occasional disappointment as the Red Hawks hoped to sneak into the fourth and final team berth. When Arcadia senior Whitney Sonsalla carded a par on the 18th hole, it looked as if G-E-T was going to fall just a few strokes short.

“We were kind of bummed for a second,” G-E-T coach Scott Hovell said. “And then it didn’t take long, a few minutes later all of a sudden, Wisconsin Dells kind of blew up on hole number 16. ... that helped us a ton. That pulled us down into fourth place, and they went from third to fifth after that,” he said.

It was a pivot that propelled the Red Hawks to claim the last spot at the Prairie du Chien sectional on Monday. Arcadia beat G-E-T by two strokes and took third with a 415 to advance also, joining regional tournament winner Lancaster (388) and Aquinas (399).

The top two teams and three individuals will advance to state from the sectional, held at the par-72 Prairie du Chien Country Club.

The back nine was kind to G-E-T last week as they were one of only three teams to see all of its top four golfers finish under 60 strokes among the nine-team field.

“We played really well on the back nine, and the back nine at Black River is really tough,” Hovell said. “So that’s where we made up some strokes.”

Arcadia edged G-E-T despite a stronger front nine than back nine at the par-72 course on Wednesday. But they, too, knew that teams such as Wisconsin Dells and Deforest would not be as comfortable on the back nine at Skyline.

“Never say die, I guess. We talked about never giving up,” Arcadia coach Mike Sobotta said. “We just thought we’d keep our composure and let the chips kind of fall, and I guess they did.”

Senior Whitney Sonsalla shot the second lowest round of the event with an 89, falling behind only Brianna Kirsch of Lancaster at 81. Her score could have been even lower, Sobotta said.

“She could have easily shot 82, 83 or something like that. She’s doing what seniors should do. A little experience behind her and she’s coming around. I like what I see.”

The Raiders were helped by Ahnna Bautch’s 97, tied for the fifth lowest score along with G-E-T junior Alexis Murphy and four others. The junior is a “steady” presence for Arcadia, Sobotta said.

Ithzel Cossio shot a 105, and Kylie Mullikin finished with a 124 for Arcadia. 

Murphy shot a 97 for G-E-T to join senior teammate Maggie Bistodeau near the top of the field on Wednesday. Bistodeau shot a 95, good for fourth place. The pair’s mental toughness and ability to forget a bad shot or hole is unmatched, Hovell said.

“They both have just this ability to recover. They get into trouble, they’re able to kind of bear down and make shots to get them out of trouble and limit damage.”

Caydence Kokott tied for 15th with a 104, Anna Motszko scored a 121 and Chloe Applin shot a 161. 

Both Sobotta and Hovell looked forward to the sectional. For Arcadia’s coach, it’s going to be about enjoying the success his team has earned.

“I got a team that just never gives up, so I’ll let you know Monday night,” he said. “We snuck in there, and I’m just really happy for the girls that their work is paying off.”

“There’s some good teams there, but that’s why you play. You never know,” Hovell said, pointing to his team being ranked seventh at the regional but making the top four.

“We’re hopeful, but really just thankful for the opportunity and a chance to play in a sectional as a team.”