The 2021 Heritage girls golf team concluded another highly successful on Saturday, Sept. 25, as two of its members, seniors, Carly Rodenbeck and Shelby Schane competed at the regional tournament.
Heritage girls golfers Carley Rodenbeck, left, with Shelby Schane
The regional, hosted by East Noble, took place at Noble Hawk Golf Club in Kendallville, where Rodenbeck shot an 88 and Schane shot a 95. Neither of the ladies’ performances were strong enough to continue their seasons at next weekend’s IHSAA State Tournament, as the final individual state qualifier from the East Noble Regional shot an 81. The Homestead team won the regional, and the lowest individual was Cybil Stillson of NorthWood High School, with an astoundingly low score of 62.
The Lady Pats ended the regular season with a 15-2 record, losing only to Bellmont and Snider. Along the way, the program won its 6th consecutive ACAC Round Robin title and its fifth consecutive ACAC Tournament championship. Schane and Rodenbeck, along with Shelby Comment, Raelyn Mullins, and Erika Gerardot comprised the ACAC-winning team.
Coach Minchski, the team’s coach of six years, said it was difficult to determine a favorite moment of the season, but narrowed it down to the joy and relief they felt during the ACAC win.
Minchski commented on her team’s success and consistency stating, “The team has been winning and dominating for so long… They’ve worked very hard, and it's just become normal at this point.”
Heritage girls golf won its sixth-straight regular season ACAC championship,
as well as its fifth-straight ACAC Tournament title
A big highlight for the team came on August 8, when they scored a 169 as a team, breaking the school record for a 9-hole round, defeating Concordia and Garrett. Schane led Heritage that day with her season-best individual score of 39. Comment, Rodenbeck, and Gerardot added to the historic performance with scores of 41, 42, and 47, respectively.
During the ACAC Tournament at Celina Lynx in Celina, Ohio, the girls beat out Bluffton, Southern Wells and Adams Central, winning by a very comfortable 16 strokes over Bluffton, with an 18-hole score of 418. Rodenbeck and Schane each shot 99 at Celina, as part of the team’s conference victory.
The ladies continue to represent Heritage proudly and with great success, having now completed just the program’s sixth season.
written by Maddox Warren and Leviticus Land for the Heritage Journalism Department