Franklin sophomore Lexi Ray is the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year in girls golf for a second consecutive season.
Daily Journal file photo
Lexi Ray’s confidence on the golf course is usually pretty unshakeable.
The sport has a way of pushing the occasional doubts into even the most steeled minds, though, and the Franklin sophomore wasn’t immune.
During her regional round at The Legends, Ray found herself facing a crisis of confidence on the greens.
“It was almost like I was shaking over the ball,” she recalled.
Ray doesn’t get shaken too often. The Grizzly Cub star performed at a high level throughout the fall — even if that wasn’t always up to her own lofty standards — and she is the Daily Journal’s Player of the Year in girls golf for a second consecutive year.
That regional round ended with Ray shooting an 80 on her home course, well above her 18-hole stroke average of 73.2. Had the Grizzly Cubs not advanced to state, then Ray — who tied for sixth there as a freshman — would not have qualified, either. Fortunately for her, the other Franklin players stepped up to clinch the school’s first state trip since 1999.
“I’m just glad that my team pulled through at regionals to let us go to state,” Ray said, “because without them I wouldn’t have been there.”
Once she returned to Prairie View, Ray got back into her old groove — well, mostly. Her putting struggles carried over from the regional, but she still did well enough between tee and green to finish the tournament with a two-round total of 156, best among all Johnson County players and tied for 18th on the individual leaderboard.
Though she would have liked to improve upon her standing from a year ago, Ray said the fact that she was able to play the state finals as a team instead of by herself sufficiently enhanced the experience.
“It was completely different,” she said. “I loved this year going to state. It was just awesome being able to go up there with your team and have jokes with your team on the range. Even though I didn’t play the best, I loved having my team be there.”
With four of the top six players from this season returning, including three starters, and a strong group of eighth-graders on the way, Ray believes Franklin is well positioned to move up from the eighth-place team finish it secured at state this time around.
She’d also like to put herself in position to win an individual championship. Ray knows she’s in that select group of players talented enough to do so; it’s just a matter of whether she can have every aspect of her game clicking at the same time.
“I feel like I’ve put in the work and I’ve dedicated myself so much,” Ray said. “It’s just a matter of if I can put everything together in that one tournament instead of just putting little pieces there. Because there’s some days where you just have a really good ball striking day — I hit the ball amazing at state, and then my putting just kind of fell apart. Where if my putting was there, it probably would have been a different story.”
Fortunately for Ray, she’s got two more chapters left to write — and two pretty good ones already written that she can build on.
“Even though it wasn’t how I wanted it to end,” she said, “I’m still very happy with what I’ve accomplished for the year.”
As she should be.
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
The 2023 All-County team for girls golf:
Ellie Adkisson, Center Grove senior: Posted a 74 at sectional and 75 in Johnson County tournament for the Trojans, finishing the fall with an 18-hole average of 78.31 … Two-day total of 168 at state was 47th individually.
Addie Livorno, Franklin senior: Averaged 80.7 to help Grizzly Cubs to first state berth since 1999 … Shot 74 at sectional, 78 in conference tourney, 79 at county and 81 at regional … Tied for 60th at state finals (175).
Magnolia Miller, Center Grove junior: Finished season with a 77.64 stroke average … Shot a 72 in sectional at Hickory Stick and posted a 78 at county … Tied for 42nd at state (166), cutting 10 shots for a second-day 78.
Rowen Pfeifle, Center Grove senior: Tied for 24th at state finals with a 158, helping Trojans to a fifth-place team finish … Averaged 76.71 per 18 holes … Shot scores of 71 at sectional, 74 at county, and 77 at regional.
Lexi Ray, Franklin sophomore: Led all area players with a 73.2 scoring average … Medalist at Mid-State Conference (76), Johnson County (70) and sectional (68) tournaments … Tied for 18th at state finals with a two-round total of 156.
Camille Short, Center Grove senior: Topped the Trojans with an 18-hole average of 75.29 … Placed 34th at state finals (153) … Shot a 71 county tournament and posted sectional and regional rounds of 73 … Will play at Grace College.
Lexi Stuart, Center Grove senior: Was her best at the biggest tournaments, carding a 74 at regional and 75s at both county and sectional … Shot a two-day total of 158 at state finals, tying Pfeifle for 24th … Will play at UIndy.
Honorable mention
Emma Baker, Greenwood; Macie Blandford, Edinburgh; Addi Bright, Franklin; Chloe Cooper, Whiteland; Gracie Gasaway, Greenwood; Taylor Harris, GCA; Kara Heuchan, Franklin; Kylie McGovern, Whiteland; Reese Phillips, Franklin; Izzy Richardson, Edinburgh
