Almost none of the golfers knew which scores — or what holes — would be counted as the sun set over the trees at Shadowood Golf Course.
With a late 2 p.m. start, and two lightning delays, the Mid-Southern Conference Tournament wouldn’t see all seven teams finish all 18 on Saturday.
The field just needed enough golfers to play the same number of holes to ensure a makeup date wouldn’t be rescheduled before the postseason.
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Around 8:30 p.m., with darkness blanketing the course, play was called with athletes dispersed throughout the course.
It was apparent that some of the holes played wouldn’t count.
Just after 9 p.m., it was clear that everyone who took the links had at least played holes No. 8 through 17: so those scores would be counted both individually and as a team.
“We didn’t even know what was going on,” Brownstown Central junior Shelby Stuckwisch said. “We didn’t know what holes were being counted. We were just hoping they didn’t take the bad ones.”
On 10 common holes, North Harrison scored 203 behind champion Hallie Hinton’s 42 to win the MSC title.
Brownstown Central placed second with 215 strokes while Corydon Central came in third (217) in the seven-team field.
“It was a struggle for all of the girls today,” Braves coach Brandon Allman said. “We started then stopped, started and stopped again. They had to play a little bit faster to make sure we got enough holes in. For the most part, they were able to hold it together.”
Austin and Charlestown didn’t bring any golfers and Salem had one make the trip.
Stuckwisch tied for fourth overall by shooting 51 to claim her first All-Mid-Southern Conference honor.
The Braves’ Emma Zabor earned her second-straight All-MSC nod by carding 52 (6th).
Sophomore KaCee Collins, who has played as the Braves’ No. 5 all season, also made All-MSC for the first time by totaling 53 for 8th.
Allman said that it was a big accomplishment for Collins, who has improved greatly in recent weeks.
“I’m extremely proud of all of us,” Collins said. “We work really hard, and I think having all the girls get along so far this season has really helped. I don’t have words (to be named All-MSC).”
Brownstown Central senior Breonna Bottorff just missed the All-MSC honorable mention cut (top-five after top-10) by a stroke at 59 and junior Regan Campbell was right behind with 60.
Today, the Braves will close-out their home play at Hickory Hills with Scottsburg.
The Braves will play an added match on Thursday at Bedford’s Otis Park in preparation for Saturday’s sectional at the same location.
Allman said that the team could very well make it out of the first round of the postseason and to the regional.
“We need the girls to be at their best and play to their potential,” he said. “I think we have a chance to get out. My goal is to have four scores under 100 — if we hit that, we have a chance.”