By Stan Olenik, Editor-Publisher, The Golf Club

Nobody won anything today except the opportunity to compete for a state title next week. Teams can claim an Upper or Lower State championship, but it’s mythical — not an official record. Still, the top teams in each tournament have a pretty good idea how they’ll stack up when all the best in their classification meet next week for the South Carolina High School League Girls Golf Championships.

The Tradition of “Upper” and “Lower”

One of South Carolina’s quirks: “Upper” and “Lower State” became tradition more than designation. The High School League treats those events as qualifiers to advance — not championships. Long ago, teams in other sports started calling themselves Upper or Lower State champs after winning late-round games, and it stuck. Odd, but a fact.

Since the qualifying tournaments produce several teams who will compete for a state title, in other sports only two teams, one upper and one lower, will actually play for the title. In the case of golf and some other sports in effect 16 teams will play for the title.

While a team calling itself the “Upper State champ” in golf would not be correct, the top individual golfer should be awarded the title of top, upper or lower, state champion.

Hanna Targets a Repeat at The Hackler

At Chester Golf Club, T.L. Hanna did exactly what it set out to do — go sub-300 and enter state week with momentum. The Tigers posted a 298, led by Sierra Schulze (70), Marissa Scaletta (71), and Serra Erlenkeuser (74). Depth mattered, too: Hayden Bell broke 90 for the first time, and Hanna Erlenkeuser continued her steady contributions.

“Our top three have been consistently strong, and our four and five have come a long way. We set breaking 300 as a goal — and did it. It was a team goal and everyone contributed ,which makes reaching the goal that much better. Now we are in position to reach our real goal, which is another state championship. We are playing in Conway, but we are going to have a great group of parents and friends here from back home to support us. Also getting a chance to play a practice round right before the tournament will help our team get a good look at what we will need to do to be successful.
— Coach Gabby Kitts

Next week’s venue for 5A DII is The Hackler Course at Coastal Carolina University (Conway). Hanna has a Sunday practice round to map pin locations, dial in the greens, and finalize a hole-by-hole plan. Several Yellow Jackets have competed there before — a small edge in an unfamiliar-yardage state setup.

The Hanna girls team and boys teams have both won State Championships in the same year and will be trying to do it again this year. The boys will try for their fourth straight title in the spring. If they are successful and the girls add another title this month, according to an unofficial review of state high school golf championship records, the Yellow Jackets will share the honor of holding both team titles at the same time with AC Flora of Columbia.

Roster: Sierra Schulze, Marissa Scaletta, Hayden Bell, Reagan Joseph, Serra Erlenkeuser, Hanna Erlenkeuser. Coaches: Gabby Kitts, Eli Roland.

Dorman Hosts — and Embraces the Pressure

Dorman returned to the top of Upper State with a 294, only a stroke shy of its school record. Ava Romanski tied her personal best with a 68 (-4), Ac Peake added 71 (-1), and freshman transfer Elin Sarstrand contributed a 74 (+2).

“A win today builds confidence, but it doesn’t determine next week. Hosting adds expectation — we’ve played these holes a thousand times. I do think we are peaking at the right time. The last couple of years we did not play our best at Upper State, but we worked hard to go on and win the state. This year we saw the things we needed to work on a little earlier and hopefully everyone can now go into the state finals with momentum that comes from winning the Upper State.”
— Coach Laura Mauer

The 5A DI state championship will be held on Dorman’s home course, The Carolina Country Club in Spartanburg. Familiarity helps, but it also raises the mental bar with a hometown crowd of teachers, principals, and peers expected to attend.

As a championship. the course will play a little differently in distance and course set up. It could be a factor to take away a little of the advantage Dorman may have with their course knowledge.

Roster: Ava Romanski, A.C. Peake, Elin Sarstrand, Marlee Metcalf, Payton O’Neil. Coach: Laura Mauer.

The Favorites Stay the Favorites

All season, Dorman and Hanna have been the class of girls golf in South Carolina. Others — Lexington, Carolina Forest, Blythewood — have had their moments, but the Upstate powers opened as favorites to repeat and remain in position to do it. In limited head-to-head meetings, Dorman held a slight edge before Hanna finished on top at the WSCGA High School Invitational. Now the two are set to close the season with titles in their respective divisions.

The two-time 5A DI individual champion Caroline Hawkins from Blythewood, a future Clemson golfer, will be trying to win a third state title when she competes at the Carolina Country Club next week.

By the Numbers

Team totals and individual leaders from Upper & Lower State qualifiers. While the numbers carded by teams in the lower part of the state may seem a little higher than those in the Upper state, both coaches know those numbers could have been influenced by course conditions, maybe weather or other factors.

Both Mauer and Kitts excpect a spirited competition for the top prize in South Carolina 5A golf.

Sorry we can’t get you all the numbers, but they are available if you sign up for the South Carolina Golf Coaches App. This app is available only on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.

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