Alix MAC girls golf trio take provincial bronze
Alix MAC School’s Grade 10 golfing trio has a bronze medal to add to their recent accomplishments, after nabbing the hardware at the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association 1A/2A Girls Golf Provincials.
The two-day tournament, Sept. 23 and 24 at Alberta Springs Golf Resort and Innisfail Golf Club, saw the teams shoot 36 holes over the two days. Grade 10 students Emiliey Korman, Caleigh Stauffer, and Elsie Stoupetrigg made up the Alix MAC team.
“We weren’t really expecting to make it to provincials in the first place,” said Korman, of her team previously winning the zone tournament to qualify for provincials. “In zones the people you play with are just a part of their schools’ team, but in provincials you know they all made it and are going to be good.”
After the first day of play the team found themselves holding third place with only a four stroke lead, but despite navigating trees and water on Day 2, they finished with a 21 stroke lead over fourth place.
“We normally always play nine holes, so 18 holes on each day was a new thing,” said Stauffer.
The three would not golf together in the tournament, but be grouped with other golfers from competing schools. Their total scores were used to determine the combined team score.
West Island College out of Calgary took gold, while Strathcona-Tweedsmuir from Okotoks took silver.
“I was really proud of the girls, they persevered 36 holes, when a lot of times they had only done nine,” said Adrian Paolinelli, assistant principal and coach.
“They were up against some golfers who shot some really low numbers, but they never gave up and did it with a smile the whole time. They were just great listeners when it came to coaching them and helping them along the way. They stayed positive and those are all good things that a team needs.”
Paolinelli said he is really excited for them moving forward, as they are just starting out in Grade 10, and there is a lot to build on.
“It really brings the spotlight on our golfers and athletics and that we can do some good things. We are a small school, but we have some strong athletes and we can continue to grow our program and continue to do some awesome things,” he added.
The trio is also focused on getting better.
“We are going to try to start practicing earlier and hopefully win zones again and make it back to provincials,” said Stoupetrigg.
Alix Mac also saw its junior program find some success this fall, winning the Wolf Creek Public Schools Junior Boys Tournament, and the Junior Girls Individual.