By Justin Sokeland
WBIW.com
BEDFORD – Each championship comes with its own heat. Bedford North Lawrence’s latest streak-extending title came with some unexpected stress and fire.
Down a player on the back nine, with the sultry weather taking a toll on stamina and scorecards, the Stars displayed their team depth once again, shaking off the unforeseen obstacle to win their 12th consecutive IHSAA sectional crown on Saturday afternoon at Otis Park.
Spurred by medalist Sammie Nusbaum, without the safety net of a fifth score, BNL posted a team score of 340. Seymour was second with 391, while Brownstown claimed the third regional qualifying spot with 403. The top three teams in the field advanced to the regional at Country Oaks next week.
That’s a dandy dozen, and nothing about it was cheap. When senior Ellie Horton had to withdraw on the 15th hole with a heat-related health issue, BNL was another mishap – whether it would have been a sprained ankle, heat stroke or an infected hangnail – from lacking the required four scores to register a team total. But with all remaining four among the top five in the field, there was little doubt about BNL’s status. As long as they all finished.
“A little bit of stress, but that’s one thing I love about this team,” BNL coach Kori Johnston said. “They’re deep, so if one falters, we have four more to pick her up.”
Nusbaum got off to a hot start with a 1-over 38 on the front and finished with an 82. That was quite the turnaround from Thursday’s front nine during the Senior Night match, when she had to laugh off a 50. Two days later, she was laughing all the way to a blue ribbon.
“That was very rough,” Nusbaum said. “I forgot about that, I was joyful, like nothing ever happened. And I wrote down a bunch of Bible verses to keep me encouraged, looked at them every time I had a shot. I could have done better, my last four holes were rough, but this means a lot.“
“That is golf,” Johnston said of the instant reversal in Nusbaum’s fortune. “She has so much potential, so Thursday’s round didn’t faze me at all.”
The only thing that could have fazed the Stars was Horton’s departure. She had to be carted to the clubhouse, and Nusbaum watched that parade of vehicles roar past. “It scared me,” Nusbaum said. “She had to be really sick to be leaving the sectional. But we are a good team. If one of us is not playing well, we normally come in with a fourth person.”
That fourth person was everyone else. Kinleigh Root, Emma Endris and Emma Voris all carded 86s to tie for third place in the field. Two of them are freshmen.
Mitchell’s Anna Sowders also advanced to the regional as one of the three low individuals who were not members of qualifying teams. She finished second overall with 85.
“I was thinking, if I wanted a chance, I had to be in the 80s or high 70s,” Sowders said. “So when I turned in my score, I was a little discouraged. But it was tough playing conditions. It was super duper hot.“
Paoli’s Avery Crews (94) and Orleans’ Adrian Abel (98) also earned regional spots as individuals.
BNL’s sectional streak still trails Penn (currently 16 in a row) for the longest in state history.
“We’d like to keep it going as long as we can,” Johnston said, then grinned about the target that Penn keeps moving. “I just need Penn to stop winning. Give me a goal.”
BNL’s goal is now a return trip to the state finals. The top three regional teams will advance to the state finals at Prairie View on Oct. 4-5. The Stars are the defending regional champions.
