Golfers Finish Third In Marathon Finish at The Meadows
Senior Elle Sluss Tees Off at Hole 10 at The Meadows During Saturday’s Championship Round
Justin Scott - Sports Reporter
10/20/2024
Lowell came away with a third place finish in a rollercoaster final day at the MHSAA Golf State Championship
For a fleeting moment, it was all happening for Lowell Girls Golf. As they rounded the turn on day two of the MHSAA Division 2 State Championship at the Meadows, they held a one stroke lead in the 36 hole tournament. Trailing by eight entering the final day, they had surged on the front to the lead. Over 10 strokes ahead of third place.
They had hoped they had set the stage for a dual with back-to-back state champions Farmington Mercy. With the Marlins under pressure, and Lowell with the momentum.
“I was thinking let’s go! We got this! I had full confidence in my team. It was time to trust all our training and preparation,” junior Elyse Veldman said.
The mood was high as Lowell took the lead. Parents, golfers, fans in attendance. The mood quickly turned during a difficult 45 minutes and three hole stretch as Lowell made the turn to the back nine. Soon, Lowell on the outside looking in. Mercy had pulled away from Lowell, and Dexter, led by eventual individual state champion Avery Manning (-3), had surged into second place. Cranbrook Kingswood had even pulled close to Lowell. Those four schools finished top four and were well ahead of fifth place South Lyon.
Still it was far from over, and Lowell showed fight as they battled to what wound up as a third place finish at The Meadows.
Elyse Veldman walks off the 17th green.
Bad breaks happen on a golf course. Even to the point of being unfair. Junior Elyse Veldman hit a perfect drive on the front nine Saturday, only to land in a divot. A longstanding rule of golf that has come under scrutiny over the past years. Senior Leah Krieger just missed the par three thirteenth hole. To be met by an awkward stance in the bunker. Senior Elle Sluss hit a shot from the edge of the wheatgrass, an impossible shot, that trickled on the 10th green. Only to overhear an unruly spectator in the group ahead shortly after.
“Coach just said “Just go out and have fun. When you have fun you play free,” Sluss said. “I was just trying to have fun, and play free especially knowing these were my last two matches for high school. Playing free tends to really affect my score. I was truly able to keep a positive mindset and push through all the adversity,” she added.
It’s a mental game, and Lowell to get back in contention, had to ignore those bad breaks. As unfair as they were. Mercy had bad breaks. Dexter had bad breaks. It’s not going to go as planned on the golf course. Coach Josh Bruwer stressed that to his team as they fought through those difficult thirty minutes.
They broke free and started to find their groove again. Already certain to finish above their 9th place finish last year, Lowell was just seeing how high they could place.
Sophomore Kaila Richards parred holes 12-14 to help the Red Arrows steady the ship.
“I was very calm throughout the whole round because it’s important to not get worked up about the bad shots. Coach Bruwer has prepared me for all the things that have came my way. Playing in states last year really helped me get the experience I needed to push through all the nervousness and stay calm,” Richards told the Ledger after the tournament.
Sluss finished her final five holes just one over par. Veldman avoided anything worse than a bogey down the stretch. It gave Lowell a chance, and all four of the Red Arrow scorers finished the back stretch under bogey golf. Despite their struggles early in the back, Lowell wound up playing the back nearly similarly to the front nine that had powered them to the lead. It’s just that Mercy and Dexter played it better. Mercy by five strokes, Dexter by 10.
Lowell fans and parents clap as Leah Krieger putts out on the par five 14th.
Mercy won their third straight state title with a score of 677, +101. The same school that took down Lowell in the 2019 volleyball state championship match. Dexter won the runner-up trophy with a 682, +106. Lowell finished six strokes off Dexter at +112. The Red Arrows did hold off Cranbrook Kingswood, the largest and most expensive private school in the state. Want to go there? You’re looking at upwards of over $40,000 a year for a high school student. Mercy is also a private school, a catholic all-girls school in Farmington Hills, while Dexter is a public school about 10 miles northwest of Ann Arbor.
Despite the differences between these schools, golf is the great equalizer. It’s one of a select few high school sports you’re in direct talks with your opponents. Not just for a few words, but on Saturday alone Lowell golfers shared six hours with their playing partners from Mercy and Dexter. Parents and fans also have that experience, making it among the most unique and friendly sporting events. The competitive edge is certainly not lost though.
Dexter and Lowell actually share a unique bond, not just being suburb public schools to a larger city. Both schools’ nicknames pay homage to the Military. Of course the Red Arrows referring to the 32nd Infantry. The Dreadnaught (Dexter) is a ship. Not just any ship, but a battleship to be specific. During World War I the town of Dexter played an important role in the assembly of the dreadnaught battleship used by both the British and U.S. Navies, and to honor that the school took on the Dreadnaught name. Dexter is one of just two schools in the country with the Dreadnaught nickname, Lowell the only school with the Red Arrow nickname
The third place finish was disappointing for the girls initially, especially after tasting that brief moment of leading the tournament. After absorbing their play though, it felt a little better. It was the best finish for the program in their history, tying the 1991-1992 team, a conference title, the first in over 30 years, and not to be forgotten…. The Forest Hills Northern team that beat out Lowell for the regional title just two short weeks ago, were nowhere near the front of the pack. Lowell beat them by 38. The Red Arrows outpaced their regional scoring projection over two days by 36 strokes.
“In the end we came up just short, but I wouldn’t trade the experience because I got to do this with my teammates,” Veldman noted.
Lowell will admit, they didn’t play their best at regionals, and there were times they might not have played their best at the Meadows. They were pretty close though. Sluss finished +20 over the two days, good for a tie for 11th. Krieger finished +27 (24th), Veldman +28 (25th), and Richards +37 (38th). Despite playing at a championship golf course with some high scores at times, Lowell consistently pulled it back.
“I think a rollercoaster is the perfect way to describe this weekend. We went into the tournament feeling ready as ever. We all knew we were fully capable of doing something special. Our job was to just go out there and play free. I know my teammates and I accomplished that goal and I think the ending shows. There are going to be shots that we love and some that we don’t as much, but what we are constantly remind by Coach Josh is that each shot is a new opportunity. We all gave it everything we had and left it all out on the course. The ups and downs are what builds us to be stronger players. I personally could not have asked for a better way to end my high school golf career. All parts of my game felt solid both days, especially my putting thanks to our intentional putting practice during the week. I really am just grateful to have helped our team finish the way we did,” Krieger said about the weekend.
Hannah Flickinger finished +60 (79th). The Lowell senior was unable to crack the code of the back nine at The Meadows, but performed well on the front both days including starting one over par through the first six holes on day two.
“This team is a family, and it’s truly a bond we’re all so lucky to have. We have support on both the tough days and the outstanding days. No matter what, I know I have so many girls that love me to pick me back up. We push each other every day in practice, and every single person on this team is ten toes down to reaching our goals. Coach Josh is a huge reason for our success. He gives us an amazing example of courage and dedication. While chasing these goals, we were always reminded that the person we become on the journey is far more valuable than the score we put up at the end of a round. The many hours of practice and unwavering focus were reflected in our performance this season,” Flickinger added.
It meant the end of the road for the Lowell seniors and regardless of finish, it was always going to be bittersweet.
“The last putt was very sad. I never thought that the day would come that I would be hitting my last putt ever for high school golf. This team means everything to me, and i never wanted my high school career to end. It is still very surreal,” Sluss concluded.
