By Kevin Harris, New Albany Tribune
8/13/2008
Heading into the 2008 season, the Providence girls’ golf team faces a major challenge — replacing Kristin Kemp.
Last year’s No. 1 player and team leader missed a berth in the IHSAA State Finals by one stroke at last season’s Evansville North Regional, where she finished fourth overall.
Three seniors are expected to pick up the slack left by Kemp in Elisabeth Voelker, Alexis Hansford and Chelsea Koebel. Sophomores Jennifer McCallister and Clancy Hauber will complete the Pioneer lineup.
“We’ve got a pretty young team besides the seniors I’ve got,” second-year coach Micah Pangburn said. “I think we can at least get out of sectional. But it definitely hurts losing (Kemp).”
Providence has already played three invitationals this week and will play a fourth on Friday in Bedford. Pangburn thinks playing 18-hole tournaments at the start of the season will make his troops better down the road.
“We’re playing a lot of golf,” Pangburn said. “It’s good experience for them, especially for players like Clancy and Jennifer.”
Providence will play in several dual and triangular meets against area rivals Floyd Central, New Albany and North Harrison. The Pioneers will also compete in the Jasper Wildcat Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 23.
JEFFERSONVILLE
The Red Devils will be in a rebuilding phase. But head coach Kelly Thompson thinks he has the talent to make his program a contender in the long run.
“It’s going to be a rebuilding program, but we have a chance to be good in the future,” Thompson said. “We’ve got a young team, but we have a better group than we’ve had the last several years.”
Jeff’s No. 1 player, Amber Pangburn, is the team’s lone senior. After earning medalist honors in a few matches last season, Thompson thinks she has a shot at qualifying for regional this year.
“I expect her to have some good rounds,” Thompson said. “She very well could (make regional). I’m really working hard with her.”
A handful of Red Devils could see some time in the lineup. Juniors Erica Newcom, Rachel Clemons and Mallory Stiles are among that group.
Thompson also has a couple of talented underclassmen in sophomore Amber Collins and freshman Erica Sheppard.
Thompson expects New Albany and Silver Creek to be among the best teams in the area.
CHARLESTOWN
With the majority of their roster returning, the Pirates have high hopes for the 2008 season.
Twin sisters Megan and Ashleigh Bowyer, both sophomores, will occupy positions Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Juniors Amanda Kasey and Cecilia Jennings and senior Katie Shaw will fill out the bottom three spots. Senior Whitney Greene could also see some action.
“Our top four or five can compete with everybody, except Floyd Central and Providence,” first-year Charlestown coach Doug Wacker said. “(The Pirates) are working hard at it and improving their scores. The twins play the Pepsi Junior Tour and are pretty good golfers. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Wacker thinks his squad has a good shot of winning the Mid-Southern Conference meet. He expects Salem, North Harrison and Silver Creek to be the teams to contend with for the league title.
“That goal is within our reach,” Wacker said. “We want to be competitive with those teams.”
As for its nonconference schedule, Charlestown will play both Floyd and Providence. Wacker thinks those matches will get his team ready for the Floyd Sectional in September.
“Those matches will be good experiences in order to get a feel for the sectional,” Wacker said. “The schedule is where it should be. It’s tough, but there are some matches that are winnable.”
SILVER CREEK
For 18 years, Joe Ledbetter has been the head coach of the Dragons’ boys’ golf program.
Now, he is trying to give guidance to the school’s girls’ program. For the first time since he got hired at Silver Creek, Ledbetter is coaching the Dragon female golfers.
And already, he knows one area they must improve in.
“It’s everybody’s lament — short game, short game, short game,” Ledbetter said. “They all need improvements in that. That’ll make a difference. We’ve got to improve our putting. We’ve got to improve our chipping — everything around the green.”
Seniors Makenzie Moore and Patia Lewis and junior Bailey Wilson will lead Silver Creek. Lewis, who played last season, transferred after the 2008 campaign, but has returned to Creek this year.
“We’re counting on her being a key player,” Ledbetter said. “Makenzie is experienced. Bailey is in her second year, but she has improved immensely so she’s going to be a key player.”
Senior Lindsay Fluhr and freshmen Kameron Salings and Kimi Fluhr should also see some time in the Dragons’ lineup.
If his players improve, Ledbetter thinks his team can be a factor in the MSC meet.
“We hope to be a key player by the end of it,” Ledbetter said.
HENRYVILLE
The Hornets must replace a top player themselves in Tosha Embry, who advanced to regional last year.
The two Henryville players who are expected to fill that role are senior Katie Spellman and Embry’s sister, Carissa. The younger Embry, a sophomore, is currently playing with a fractured thumb.
Head coach Robin Embry, father of both Embry girls, hopes his top two golfers will be averaging scores in the low to mid 40s by sectional.
“I think Katie Spellman can have a good season,” Coach Embry said. “If she can continue to improve, she has a chance to shoot a good round at sectional and advance out.”
A pair of freshmen currently make up the third and fourth positions in the Hornet lineup. They are Katie Cleveland and Sarah Henson.
Henryville will face several Class 2A and 3A teams on its schedule, which includes Madison, Silver Creek and Corydon. The Hornets will also host the Class A Invitational.
CLARKSVILLE
The Generals have two new coaches this season in Greg Walters and Bill Smith, who take over for Chris Keeler.
Fourteen players have come out for the team, which has produced some competition in trying to secure a spot in the lineup.
“There is a lot of competition for spots,” Walters said. “We hope to be competitive. We work each day to get better.”
Two seniors are expected to lead Clarksville in Alyssa Garcia and Casey Parker. Four other players could factor into the lineup, who are juniors Taylor Carta, Alex Conklin and Michelle Hamsley and sophomore Jessica Garcia.
The Generals will find out what they need to work on next week when their season starts. They will play against Jeff at the Jeff Elks on Wednesday, followed by a home match with Charlestown and New Albany on Thursday.
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