Girls golf: Season preview

When Addi Bright is on the basketball court, she doesn’t let a few missed shots deter her from taking her next one.

That same resiliency allows the Franklin junior to quickly shake off a bad shot or a bad hole on the golf course before it sinks her entire round — an important quality to have in perhaps the most unforgiving sport of all.

“I could make a case that Addi Bright is the toughest player mentally that we have on our team, and you can quote me on that,” Grizzly Cubs co-coach Ted Bishop said. “And that’s no disrespect to anyone else, but it’s the old saying about if you’re going to jump in a foxhole with somebody — I want her with me.”

Bright has proven herself foxhole-ready in some big moments, particularly over the past year.

Last season, she was a steady presence in the middle of the Franklin lineup but saved her best for the most important time. After the Grizzly Cubs qualified for their first state finals since 1999, Bright went out and carded rounds of 78 and 81 at Prairie View, tying for 26th on the individual leaderboard and leaving one hell of an impression on Bishop — who pointed out that over the previous quarter-century, no Franklin player had ever posted that low of a two-round state score in his or her state debut.

“That’s a huge step of growth, and that’s on a really difficult golf course,” Bishop said.

More important than impressing her coaches, it gave Bright a massive shot of confidence.

“It definitely did, because up to that point I hadn’t really had that breakthrough round yet,” she said. “Well I had, but not when it mattered. At the beginning of my sophomore year and all of my freshman year, I just kind of played timid, like I was scared — but at state for some reason, I just went out there and played like I knew I could, and it got me where I wanted to be.”

Bright has carried that same mentality into 2024, and it’s producing results. In early July, she earned a victory in the Central Junior Masters at The Sagamore in Noblesville, finishing with a 77-73—150 to win by one shot.

Coming out on top in a field full of the state’s elite players has Bright heading into the high school season with plenty of affirmation.

“That really shows me that I belong there and I’m one of the best players,” she said, “and I really needed that.”

The Grizzly Cubs already had one of the top players in Indiana with Bright’s classmate Lexi Ray — a two-time county player of the year who has placed sixth and 18th in her two high school state appearances. With Bright and senior Reese Phillips also back in the fold, the team heads into this fall with high expectations.

Bishop insists that Center Grove is the team to beat locally until somebody actually beats them, but Bright doesn’t seem interested in embracing an underdog role. Franklin has the horses to win at the county and sectional tournaments, and perhaps beyond, and Bright is leaning into that belief.

“We definitely have a chance to be that team this year, and I’m going to go into it with that mindset.”

So much for playing timid.

SCOUTING THE COUNTY

Center Grove Trojans

Coach: Cale Hoover

Last season: County, sectional and regional champion; fifth at state finals

Who’s back?: London Dodson, Magnolia Miller and Amanda Wallace, seniors; Maren Pfeifle, junior; Zoe Land and Madisyn Bell, sophomores

New face to watch: Olivia Alvey, freshman

What to expect: The Trojans graduated four of five starters after posting consecutive top-five state finishes, but the cupboard is still far from bare. Miller, the lone holdover from last year’s postseason lineup, will have help from the likes of Dodson, Pfeifle and Wallace, all of whom saw plenty of tournament action during the regular season and are ready for their turn in the top five. Hoover feels confident that he’s got a talented enough team to post 18-hole scores under 310 and perhaps defend its county, sectional and regional crowns on the way back to Prairie View.

Edinburgh Lancers

Coach: Jessica Carie

Last season: Second in Mid-Hoosier Conference; seventh at county, ninth at sectional

Who’s back?: Macie Blandford, senior; Sophia Pace, sophomore

New faces to watch: Gracie Barrett and Addyson Chandler, juniors; Kaydra Peters, freshman

What to expect: With a year under her belt, Carie is hoping to continue building the program and getting more players out. Blandford should be among the top players in the Mid-Hoosier and will help the Lancers contend for the team title. In terms of county and sectional, how well the Lancers fare will hinge on how quickly the newcomers can pick up the game and contribute.

Franklin Grizzly Cubs

Coaches: Ted Bishop and Crystal Morse

Last season: Mid-State Conference champion; second at county and sectional, third at regional, eighth at state

Who’s back?: Reese Phillips, senior; Addi Bright, Emma Christoff, Lexi Ray and Madi Spock, juniors; Cassidy Rucker, sophomore

New faces to watch: Leah Graves, sophomore; Keeley Alexander, Mel Flora and Mia Hart, freshmen

What to expect: The Grizzly Cubs return three of the top four players from a state qualifier — led by Ray, who could make a run at an individual state title before she’s done. Bright and Phillips are both proven vets coming off of strong summers. The key to Franklin’s success will be filling out the final two spots in the lineup, and with five worthy contenders for those positions, it may take some time to get sorted out. By season’s end, though, this team should be back in the state finals and could potentially make a run at a podium finish.

Greenwood Woodmen

Coach: Steve Land

Last season: Third at county and sectional, ninth at regional

Who’s back?: Celia Stanley, senior; Kate Bessinger, junior

New faces to watch: Aberdeen Couturier, Josie Fiesel, Millie Fiesel and Alexis MacFarlane, freshmen

What to expect: After making a regional run with a senior-dominated squad, the Woodmen will be heading back to the drawing board under first-year coach Land. Stanley, the lone holdover from last season’s top five, will lead the way while and otherwise inexperienced crew finds its footing. The hope is that the freshmen can make some strides this fall and set the table for more success in the years to come.

Greenwood Christian Cougars

Coach: Jon Robinson

Last season: Fifth at county and sectional

Who’s back?: Morgan Brandt, senior; Makynlee Conn, junior; Kiera Schamerloh and Addy Yeats, sophomores

New faces to watch: Sehaj Grewal, sophomore

What to expect: The Cougars return three starters in Brandt, Conn and Yeats, which should help the team remain competitive. With only five girls on the roster in the preseason, there isn’t much room for error; GCA will need its inexperienced players to ramp it up on the fly in order to remain in the middle of the county and sectional packs.

Indian Creek Braves

Coach: Rose Moore

Last season: Fourth in Western Indiana Conference; sixth at county and sectional

Who’s back?: Cristole Baugh, Megan Ellis, Emily Hogue and Allison Vavul, seniors; Shelby Roach, junior

New face to watch: Hailey Knight, junior

What to expect: The Braves lagged behind the county’s top teams a year ago, but with the entire starting five back and some other schools suffering heavy graduation losses, there’s hope for climbing the ladder a bit this time around. If the returning players can get the team total consistently near or under 400, cracking the top five at sectional and perhaps even contending for a regional spot aren’t out of the question.

Whiteland Warriors

Coach: Katie DeClercq

Last season: Fourth at county and sectional

Who’s back?: Brianna Humphries, Riley Luttman and Layla Newport, sophomores

New faces to watch: Gracie Doyle, Brynlee Fleener and Keira Gunn, freshmen

What to expect: Much like rival Greenwood, the Warriors will be filling out a lineup with inexperienced golfers after losing the entire starting lineup, including two individual regional qualifiers. Luttman got some varsity tournament experience last fall, but there will be a learning curve as the young players adjust to high school action. Whiteland isn’t setting sky-high expectations for this year; the hope is to strengthen this young nucleus with eyes on contending in the future.