The golfer who barely made her middle school team six years ago is a two-time Player of the Year.
Center Grove senior Lucy Young has been the Trojans’ top player the past two seasons, can make the same claim as far as all of Johnson County goes.
Young’s ascension began as the No. 5 player for the Trojans as a freshman. She moved into the third spot in the lineup as a sophomore and has been No. 1 the past two seasons.
“I did want to be the No. 1 player. I just didn’t know if it would ever happen,” Young said, describing the mindset she had early in her high school career. “There are so many good players at Center Grove.
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Click here to purchase photos from this gallery“But I just wanted to get better. I put in more work every year. I’ve worked a lot on my short game, especially the past year. And I can also hit it farther than my freshman year, which helps a lot."
First-year Center Grove coach Cale Hoover got one season to watch Young up close and wouldn’t trade it.
"You couldn’t have asked for a better person to be your only senior," he said. "Tremendous, tremendous character. And Lucy has really made herself into a tremendous golfer through determination and drive.
"As a coach, she was just someone you knew you could count on. We knew she was typically going to be between a 72 and 76."
Young’s final 18-hole stroke average was 74.8, with highlights including a sizzling 67 at the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference meet in Westfield. It marked the first time Young completed an 18-hole event under par.
Young has verbally committed to play golf at Grace College, an NAIA program in northern Indiana. An excellent student with a 4.17 grade-point average, Young plans to major in accounting.
She’ll get to spend one season on the same golf team as another former Trojan No. 1 — Sydney Abbott, currently a junior at Grace.
“It was between Grace and Taylor,” Young said of her college choice. “I really like the team and the coaches at Grace, and can also get my master’s degree in four years there, which will be a big help.”
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The 2018 All-Johnson County team for girls golf:
<strong>Ellie Beavins, Franklin sophomore:</strong> Led a very young and balanced Grizzly Cubs squad with an 18-hole stroke average of 80 … Played big in the big tournaments, winning medalist at the Johnson County meet, taking second at Mid-State and third at sectional.
<strong>Taylor Drake, Franklin senior:</strong> Helped lead the Grizzly Cubs to a county title and a fourth-place regional finish, one shot away from a state finals berth … Advanced to state as an individual, tying for 80th with a score of 97-96—192.
<strong>Meg Fosnot, Center Grove sophomore:</strong> Could step into Center Grove’s No. 1 spot after averaging an 83 this season … shot 86 to help the Trojans edge Franklin for sectional team title.
<strong>Bri Harwell, Whiteland senior:</strong> Shot 79 to finish second at county and an 84 to tie for fifth at the Mid-State meet … led Warriors to regional with 18-hole average of 81 … All-County for a third consecutive season.
<strong>Liv Parramore, Franklin sophomore:</strong> Posted the Grizzly Cubs’ second-lowest scoring average (82) and took second individually at Mid-State Conference tourney … was sixth at county meet.
<strong>Ava Ray, Franklin freshman:</strong> Averaged an 84 and was the medalist at Mid-State Conference meet at The Legends of Indiana … Fired an 89 at sectional to help the Grizzly Cubs place second as a team.
<strong>Maecee Terhune, Greenwood junior:</strong> Placed fifth individually at the New Palestine Sectional to lead the Woodmen to a regional berth … finished fifth as an individual at Johnson County tournament … team’s low scorer with 85 average.
<strong>Lucy Young, Center Grove senior:</strong> Tied for 24th individually at state meet … Carded career-best 67 to earn medalist honors at MIC meet in Westfield … Medalist at the Whiteland Sectional and third at the Roncalli Regional, both with scores of 76 … Finished season with 18-hole average of 74.8.
<strong>Honorable mention</strong>
Jacqui Button, Indian Creek; Morgan Calhoun, Edinburgh; Lanie DeHaven, Center Grove; Maura Guilfoy, Greenwood; Maddie Heineman, Center Grove; Lauren Pagel, Center Grove; Lauren Parsley, Indian Creek; Sophia Valant, GCA; Allie Watson, Whiteland; Ashtyn Witte, GCA; Carly Woodward, Franklin
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