ANDERSON, IN. –– Yorktown senior Kayleigh Agugliaro had been to regionals three of her four seasons of her high school golf career. But she had always fallen just short of advancing to state.
That changed today when her round of 73 (one over par) put her in third place out of 95 players and was good enough to secure the last spot to the state tournament finale.
“I've been working for [a trip to state] since my sophomore year,” Agugliaro said. “It was really amazing.”
Multiple Delaware County girls golf teams and individual players took their talent to Edgewood Golf Course in Anderson, Indiana, for the regional championship. For every team and the other individuals, this was it for their season and for some careers.
Team wise, Delta led the way with a 376 and finished in seventh place. Eagles senior Belle Brown finished with a team-high 83. The 2023 sectional champion could not recreate the record score she posted the week prior.
“I don’t know how to feel,” Brown said. “It hasn’t really settled in yet. But I do feel like I left a great impact with Delta golf.”
While Brown has shown a lot of talent over her four years, she has still not decided on college golf, unlike Daleville senior Addy Gick. Gick and fellow senior teammate Ava Capes took the final two individual spots to play in Saturday’s regional.
Gick finished with an 82 while Capes fired an 86, ending their golf careers with the Broncos.
“I played with [Capes] when we were in the seventh grade,” Gick said. “We both got offers at Anderson University, so if we do play together in college, that would be amazing. But it has been so much fun playing with these girls.”
Gick also ended her high school golf journey on a high note. Last year, she finished her regional round with a 96.
“I was 14 strokes better than last year,” she said. “That was basically my main goal; to just be better than last year. I thought I played pretty well.”
The other county teams that competed were Wapahani and Yorktown. The Raiders finished with a 414 and the Tigers rounded out the field with a 443. To Yorktown head coach Nathan McClung, Agugliaro’s round was the best he’s ever seen by his state-bound athlete.
“She seriously [only] hit two bad shots today,” McClung said. “That put her in a good position. She was really, really good… You're looking at one of the best players in the state and she’s put herself on the map.”
Taking sixth place overall in the tournament was Wes-Del freshman Jane Armington. In her first appearance at regionals, Armington finished her first season with a 78.
She still felt that she could have done better.
“Our season goes by pretty quick,” Armington said. “I think I need to work on my short game. Especially in being more prepared because I did not do well today.”
While Armington thinks she should have done better, her successful season has turned multiple heads in the Delaware County golf world.
“Jane is good,” McClung said. “She is going to be around for a long time.”
Though for multiple schools, today was the end of an era. McClung has gotten to know these players very well.
“[Agugliaro, Brown, and Gicks] come from great families and good support systems,” he said. “...We just appreciate the opportunity to compete against those players and those coaches. We've grown to know their moms and dads by their first names and it's been a lot of fun.”
To the players, the relationships that have been built through the game of golf are ones they will never forget. For Gick, those relationships were forged with Agugliaro and Brown.
“When I play with them, I don't feel as stressed, “Gick said. “Our friendship has been nice and I hope the best for them.”
Agugliaro goes on to play at Prairie View Golf Course in Carmel, Indiana, for the state championship. The tournament will start Friday, Sept. 29, and end Saturday, Sept. 30. Tee times have not been announced.
The final Delaware County girls golfer knows what she needs to work on.
“I need to work on my driver a little bit and just chipping and putting,” she said. “You can never have a good enough short game.”
Contact Zach Carter with comments at zachary.carter@bsu.edu or on X@ZachCarter85.
