Patriot Freshman Earns Medalist Honors At State Girls Golf Tournament
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MINERAL WELLS - It was just earlier this year that, as an 8th grader, Ellie West won the W.Va. Junior Match Play Championship, taking place at the Parkersburg Country Club.
Since then, things have changed for West, who started high school at Wheeling Park last month, but the Patriot freshman’s skills out on the links haven’t gone anywhere.
West earned medalist honors at Tuesday’s WVSSAC State Girls Golf Tournament at The Links at Woodridge, carding a 6-under 66 to finish eight strokes ahead of the next-closest finisher, Morgantown junior Angela Yao.
West clocked one eagle, four birdies, 13 pars and, crucially, zero bogeys.
After turning in par on the first four holes of her round, West knocked her second shot to within 30 yards on the par 5, fifth hole. Her pitch shot rolled straight at the cup and settled on the pin. When she walked up to the hole, she carefully pulled the pin out to allow the ball to drop and give her an eagle.
West took the lead to stay at 2-under then blazed a path through the back nine at 4-under 33.
"I definitely think that eagle gave me a little boost," said West, who surpassed her previous best 18-hole total by three strokes. "Throughout the round, I made sure to stay clam, keep my head in the game. I never got ahead of myself. I always thought just fairway, green, two-putt - one-putt would be great.
"Not to bogey a hole, that is absolutely wonderful. To reach that accomplishment for me is very good."
West planned to celebrate her title in usual fashion.
"Ice cream - a twist cone with extra sprinkles," West said. "I do that every single time."
West led off the all-tourney team, where she was joined by Yao (74), Bridgeport's Audrey Kerr (75), Lewis County's Makenzie Egress (76), Hurricane's Chastyn Viars (78), Capital's Alexis Green (78), Williamstown’s Madilyn Buttrey (80), Wirt County’s Kate Dotson (81) and George Washington's Kamryn Stutler (81)
Of the six schools who fielded a full girls team, Morgantown and George Washington tied for first place at 257. Wheeling Park followed in third place with 263, while Parkersburg (score unavailable) took fourth. University (281) and Herbert Hoover (291) rounded out the list.
Junior Blair Anderson (98), junior Abigail Thomas (99), and junior Carter Kidd (107) made up the other three spots on Wheeling Park’s state tournament squad.
Wheeling Central did not field a complete team, but the trio of freshman Giuliana Voellinger (108), freshman Jillian Sayre (109) and senior Olivia Blatt (111) competed Tuesday.