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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – For the first time ever, the Marshfield girls golf team is Wisconsin Valley Conference champions.
The Tigers finished with a team score of 183 to edge Wausau East/West by a stroke and claimed first place at the seventh and final Wisconsin Valley Conference meet of the season Tuesday at Marshfield Country Club.
Marshfield won six of the seven conference meets this season and claimed its first overall WVC championship. Marshfield’s only other conference title came in 2013 in the now defunct CloverValley Golf League. The Wisconsin Valley Conference started its own golf season series in 2017.
Lexxi Oertel shot a 38 to win medalist honors and lead the Tigers to the win on their home course. Wausau East/West’s Talia Schlindwein finished second with a 40 as she wrapped up her second-straight individual overall conference title.
“These are talented golfers that commit to knowing the game and working hard,” first-year Marshfield head coach Brenda Konrardy said. “They’re going to struggle, people all struggle at this game, and they aren’t going to just blow that off. They hit the range that night or the next day and they work, they grind. That’s why their winners.”
Brielle Lenz and McKenzie Holm were among six golfers that finished tied for third with 45s, Lauren Boon shot 55 and Kylie Laufenberg added a 58 for Marshfield.
Oertel, Lenz, Holm, Schlindwein and D.C. Everest’s Ella Szekeress earned first-team all-WVC honors by placing in the top five overall this season.
“No one is always golfing well all of the time and it seemed like someone always stepped up,” Konrardy said. “It didn’t matter, one of the top three always stepped up, and even the No. 4 and 5 golfers, they played their roles as well and stepped up when it was there time. We were lucky that way and to have some consistent talent.”
Marshfield will compete at a WIAA Division 1 regional on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at The Golf Club at Cedar Creek in Onalaska. The top four teams and top four individuals not on the qualifying teams, move on to a D-1 sectional at Hiawatha Golf Course in Tomah on Monday, Oct. 7.
The top two teams and top three individual finishers not on the qualifying teams will qualify for the 2024 WIAA State Girls Golf Tournament at University Ridge Golf Club in Madison on Oct. 14-15.
Wisconsin Valley Conference Girls Golf Tournament
Meet No. 7, Sept. 24, at Marshfield Country Club
Team scores: 1. Marshfield 183; 2. Wausau East/West 184; 3. Wisconsin Rapids 191; 4. D.C. Everest 200; 5. Stevens Point 202; 6. Adams-Friendship 239.
Individual scores: 1. Lexxi Oertel (MAR) 38; 2. Talia Schlindwein (WAU) 40; 3. Ella Wendling (WAU), Natalie Henslin (WR), Ella Szekeress (DC), Brielle Lenz (MAR), Alexa Cour (WR) and McKenzie Holm (MAR) 45; 9. Sophia Wagman (DC) 46; 10. Faith Stremkowski (SP) 47; 11. Skylar Millan (SP) 48; 12. Alyvia Steinke (WAU) 49; 13. Ava Fetterer (WR) and Anika Creisher (WAU) 50; 15. Gabby Neilitz (WR) 51; 16. Brooke Strangfeld (WR) and Elli Meyer (DC) 52; 18. Vanessa Hatfield (SP) and Morgan Pare (AF) 53; 20. Karlie Kostuchowski (SP) and Alexis Wagner (SP) 54; 22. Lauren Boon (MAR) 55; 23. Taylor Freidel (DC) and Anna Meyer (DC) 57; 25. Kylie Laufenberg (MAR) 58; 26. Ellie Schwabe (AF) and Ayla Christensen (WAU) 59; 28. Kenzie Pokszuk (AF) 63; 29. Keagan Pokszyk (AF) 64.