Senior Kaylie Kelchen qualified for the State Meet following her third-place finish at the Class 3A Regional on Wednesday, May 15, at Saddleback Golf Course in Solon.
But Kelchen was sad after the meet.
The Lisbon girls’ golf team finished one stroke behind Solon for second place, and missed out on the entire team going to state by that one stroke.
“We were really hoping to make it as a team,” Kelchen said. “It just came down to Solon’s fifth golfer. We weren’t expecting that.”
Cedar Rapids Xavier won the Region 4 Meet, carding a 321. The Saints were followed by Solon (338) and Lisbon (339).
“That score was our season low, so we battled right to the end,” Lisbon coach Andy Kahl said. “Taking on Solon on their home course, we felt we really needed to stay with them, and I thought our girls did.”
There used to be a rule that if the host school finished in the top two, then the third-place school also advanced to state, but no longer.
“It sucks that rule changed,” Kelchen said. “I think it is always an advantage to play on your home course. But we did what we could.”
Kelchen shot 75 and finished behind Mehar Julka and Meera Julka of Xavier, who shot 72 and 73, respectively.
The 3A State Meet is on Thursday and Friday, May 23 and 24, at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course in Cedar Falls.
“Kaylie played great all day and I’m looking forward to a fun time in Cedar Falls,” Kahl said. “It’ll be a great way to cap off her senior year.”
Class 3A Region 4
Team cards – 1. Cedar Rapids Xavier 321; 2. Solon 338; 3. Lisbon 339; 4. Grinnell 354; 5. Central DeWitt 361; 6. Keokuk 388; 7. Fort Madison 390; 8. (tie) Davis County 413 and Fairfield 413; 10. Davenport Assumption 416; 11. Washington 418; 12. Mount Pleasant 419.
Medalist – Mehar Julka (CRX) 72. Next 5 – Meera Julka (CRX) 73, Kaylie Kelchen (L) 75, Sydney Dee (S) 82, Maggie Froeschle (CD) 82.
LISBON (339) – Kelchen 75, Eryn Jackson 85, Brooke Ellyson 89, Carie Johnson 90. (Also: Avery Thurn 99, Grace Bausch 101.)