Going into last year’s Delaware County Championship, Delta was hoping to complete the three-peat as they had won the tournament for two straight seasons. But Yorktown would be named the champions by defeating the Eagles by three shots.
“Losing by three strokes, it was really painful,” Delta junior Avery Stinson said.
Because of that loss, the Eagles had a goal to become county champions once again. And after all 24 competitors turned in their scorecards following some rainy conditions on Saturday afternoon, the blue and gold were named the 2023 Delaware County champions.
“[With it being early in the season], the county championship shows where the girls are right now,” Delta head coach Jim Fowler said. “They're playing really well and are focused. It's always a good thing to kick off the year with.”
Delta finished the tournament with a total score of 375, which is four shots better than they did in the 2022 Delaware County Championship. Wapahani took second with a 415 and Daleville rounded out the top three with a 417.
Leading the Eagles was Stinson with an 83. She was followed by senior teammate Belle Brown, who shot an 84.
“Even though we lost a senior (Gracie Williams, who committed to Indiana East), we still knew that we could come back and win,” Stinson said. “...So we had really strong pride in ourselves to come back.”
During the round, both Stinson and Brown had some rough patches in their game. But they didn’t allow those moments to determine their outcomes.
“[In those moments], I knew the match was not over,” Brown said. “I just kept pushing until the end. With the rough holes, I tended to think okay, I have so many more holes ahead of me. I just have to keep going.”
But one of the best performances of the tournament had nothing to do with the team portion. Wes-Del freshman Jane Armington fired a 76, which made her the first-ever Warrior to be named the Delaware County individual champion.
Warriors head coach Nick Rocco said that he told his number one player that she could win the tournament the night before. But after actually doing it, Armington was a little surprised.
[I was a little shocked] because I didn't hit [the ball] that well coming into this,” she said.
But the achievement is bigger than just Armington. Rocco believes that this will give his program something to build upon.
“Even though she's a freshman, hopefully [Armington is seen] as kind of a leader,” Rocco said. “She leads by example and hopefully it creates a little bit more interest in the program.”
To become the champion, Armington had to defeat Yorktown senior Kayleigh Agugliaro on hole number seven, their final hole. After a missed putt by the Tiger, the freshman squeaked out the victory by one stroke.
To her, defeating Agugliaro and Brown gives her more experience for the future.
“I definitely want to win more county [championships],” Armington said. “Hopefully I can make it to state, too.”
But when it comes to the state finals, Armington isn’t the only golfer that wants to get there. One year after advancing to the finals for the first time in program history, the Eagles are eager to return once more.
“They've got the capabilities for sure,” Fowler said. “Regionals is always tough, but [the girls] keep getting better. Avery and Belle are playing really well right now, and I think if we can find better three and four scores, we've definitely got the capability to make another run.”
The following players earned All-County honors and are ranked from first to tenth:
(1) Wes-Del Freshman Jane Armington - 76, (2) Yorktown senior Kayleigh Agugliaro - 77, (3) Delta junior Avery Stinson - 83, (4) Daleville senior Addy Gick - 83, (5) Delta senior Belle Brown - 84, (6) Wapahani sophomore Kenzie Brannon - 88, (7) Daleville senior Ava Capes - 92, (8) Wapahani junior Delaney Dodd - 98, (9) Delta senior Hollis Klinger - 99, (10) Wes-Del junior Gracie Drake - 108.
Contact Zach Carter with comments at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on X @ZachCarter85.
