Murphy qualifies for sectional golf championship
For much of the 2023 season, one player has continued to lead the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau girls golf team.
Senior Alexis Murphy will represent the Red Hawks again this week, this time with a trip to the WIAA state tournament at her fingertips.
Murphy was the lone county golfer to qualify for this Tuesday’s sectional tournament, qualifying by placing eighth with a 101 at last Monday’s regional in Viroqua.
Murphy collected two pars in her regional round, both on the front nine at the par-72 Viroqua Hills Golf Course. Murphy shot a 51 on the front nine and followed it with a 50 in the last half of the tournament.
The senior is one of three individual qualifiers from last week’s event alongside Black River Falls’ Zowie Hunter (97, sixth) and Cochrane-Fountain City sophomore Lily Scharmach (105, 11th).
Coach Maddie Schmidt said Murphy played a consistent round at the regional.
“She’s been working super hard,” Schmidt said of the senior. “Even if there’s a bad hole we tell each other and all the girls to keep your head up because there’s 17 holes left. She’s just worked super hard in practice, in matches, doing different things and being able to show everybody what she’s got. She’s just continued to grow in her swing and improve different things throughout the year.”
Murphy will compete among the area’s best at a course she knows well—Tuesday’s sectional will be played at Trempealeau Mountain Golf Course at 9 a.m.
Aquinas (400), Wisconsin Dells (409) and Westby/Viroqua (414) clinched the team berths to Tuesday’s sectional with the top three overall scores. Murphy and the Red Hawks were the next best team with their 452, ahead of Black River Falls at 454, Cochrane-Fountain City at 493 and Portage’s 499.
The 2023 Division Two postseason was changed to advance the top three teams and top three individuals from three regionals—a change from the previous setup of four teams and four individuals advancing from two regionals.
The Red Hawks had three players in the top 20 last Monday on a day that Madchen Ewig of Wisconsin Dells carded the lowest round, a 16-over par 88. Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau senior Anna Motszko’s 110 was enough to place 14th, and junior Jada Schmitt took 15th with a 117.
Jazlynn Olson took 21st with her 124, and Claire Wagner rounded out the Red Hawks’ day with a 127, good for 23rd place.
Schmidt’s team progressed a lot this year and are “totally different” golfers than when they started this fall, she said. Now she and the Red Hawks will hope Wagner has one more top finish left.
To accomplish that, Murphy will need to focus on her mindset and stay grounded on each hole, according to her coach, who also wants to ensure the senior enjoys the journey.
“I just continue to tell her, like, ‘It’s your own mindset. You come in there and think I got this, what can I improve on for the next hole?’ And if you have a hole that’s not what you want it to be, just have that mindset of there are so many different options ahead and just have a good time,” Schmidt said.
“Being able to have this experience is just great.”
