Rutland and Lake Region capture girls golf championships

Austin Danforth
Burlington Free Press

PITTSFORD - While the second half of Tuesday's championship doubleheader had a clear favorite, the same couldn't be said of the day's first offering. 

North Country, St. Johnsbury and Rutland all looked capable of hoisting the Division I trophy when the 18 holes were done. Very capable — and very close. The end result lived up to the billing, too.

The strokes separating the three teams wouldn't have filled two sleeves worth of golf balls.

Rutland ended North Country's four-season reign in D-I with two shots to spare, capturing the program's state-record 11th high school girls golf crown, while Lake Region nabbed a repeat title in D-II on Tuesday at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club.

Rutland's Jillian Miles fired an 89 to win the D-I medal. Otter Valley's Mia Politano topped the field in D-II with an 84, the day's best score.

More on each championship (full results below): 

Division I

Rutland's Jillian Miles watches her tee shot on the 15th hole during the Vermont high school girls golf state championships at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.

While North Country and St. Johnsbury could tee it up together and go toe-to-toe all fall, Rutland had to wait until the championship to see how they stacked up.

Raiders coach Rich Alberti liked his three sophomores' chances regardless.

"They show up, they work hard, they’re dependable, they listen, they’re not afraid to try different things and they don’t get discouraged,” Alberti said. “They keep coming out day after day trying to get better.”

With Miles matching her best round of the season on Tuesday and Kristen Pariseau following a group later with a solid 102, Rutland had enough to deny North Country a five-peat as Grace Giroux carded a 94 and Sophia Clements a 100.

St. Johnsbury, led by Pearl Hudson's 93, was a close third at 195.

North Country's Grace Giroux hits a sand shot on the 14th hole during the Vermont high school girls golf state championships at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.

North Country coach Brian Hampton said knowing the quality of the competition going in made it hard to be upset about conceding the crown after four years on top. 

“We’re not complaining — we knew it would be close,” Hampton said. “Turned out to be real close and it’s OK.

"There was a situation where we got a 2-stroke penalty but that’s part of the rules — we play by them, we live by them,” he said. “The kids did well. It’s just a game, that’s all it is.”

For Miles, the individual title came as more of a surprise than the team's — she knew how much work she and Pariseau put in over the summer and fall to get their games ready.

“I knew I could be up there and I definitely had a chance but I was not expecting it,” she said.

Her fortunes improved at the turn. After putting up a rocky 49 on the front of the par-72 layout, birdies at the par-3 11th and par-5 16th allowed her to rebound with a 40 and finish four clear of Hudson for top honors in D-I.

“The back side definitely felt like a medalist side,” Miles said. “I had a couple birdies on the back and I was hitting more greens, making more pars."

Division II

Lake Region's Tia Martinez rolls a birdie putt on the 11th hole during the Vermont high school girls golf state championships at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.

The Lake Region Rangers' 10-shot victory over Otter Valley for the D-II title put their depth on full display.

Paired with star Tia Martinez's 88, any of the other three Rangers' rounds were good enough to produce a title-winning score. Madeleine Racine (110)  earned the honor officially, but Natalie Racine and Makenzie Smith were close behind with 112s that also would've done the trick.

"Talk about consistency," said Ray Perkins, Lake Region's first-year coach. "They've been steady all year."

Martinez, a junior, came in gunning for the medal after a strong fall season but, like 2018, carded a number a scant four shots back of Otter Valley's Mia Politano.

"She came up just a little bit short but she's got another year to do that. She's thrilled for the team," Perkins said of Martinez.

Otter Valley's Mia Politano watches her tee shot on the par-3 11th hole during the Vermont high school girls golf state championships at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.

Politano cruised around in 3-over on the front nine despite taking a triple-bogey 7 on the opening hole. She played the next six holes in 1-under thanks to a birdie at the par-5 fourth hole to steady her round.

A double sandwiched between two bogeys across a three-hole stretch on Proctor-PIttsford's doglegging back nine cost her shots coming, as did a double-double finish — but the masterful front side carried her to the best round of the day. 

Her sister Elena added a 124 to the Otters' team score (208) as they finished well clear of third-place Northfield (230).

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Contact Austin Danforth at 651-4851 or edanforth@freepressmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @eadanforth.

2019 Vermont H.S. girls golf championship results

St. Johnsbury's Pearl Hudson tees off on the 14th hole during the Vermont high school girls golf state championships at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.

Tuesday, Oct. 8

At Proctor-Pittsford C.C.

(Par-72)

DIVISION I

Medalist: 89 - Jillian Miles, Rutland

Rutland (191): Miles 89, Kristen Pariseau 102.

North Country (194): Grace Giroux 94, Sophia Clements 100.

St. Johnsbury (195): Pearl Hudson 93, Catherine Wang 114.

Burr and Burton (203): Grace McDonald 99, Emma Tobin 104.

Champlain Valley (211): Taylor Hoar 103, Courtney Vincent 108.

South Burlington (221): Sage Bennett 100, Olivia Worcester 121.

Essex (222): Ashley Stempek 103, Marcy McGovern 119.

Colchester (252): Jayme Baldwin 114, Caitlin Conners 138.

Burlington (282): Maddie Tulkop 135, Ella Becker 147.

DIVISION II

Goflers prepare to putt on the 16th green during the Vermont high school girls golf state championships at Proctor-Pittsford Country Club on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019.

Medalist: 84 - Mia Politano, Otter Valley

Lake Region (198): Tia Martinez 88, Madeleine Racine 110.

Otter Valley (208): Mia Politano 84, Elena Politano 124.

Northfield (230): Faith Hoagland 115, Paige Moorby 115.

Milton (247): Samantha Borman 115, Kira Jennings 132.

U-32 (248): Jenna Mekkelsen 120, Elizabeth Guthrie 128.

Individuals — Woodstock: Emily Dean 99. Mid-VT Christian: Allie Leary 103. Stowe: Lexi James 112. Lyndon: Kasey Barton (122):