By RYAN WALKER
The early going of the fall sports season has already been a proven winner with the Norwell girls’ golf team. The Knights won its third outing of the season in a 188-266 win over North Side Monday afternoon at Timber Ridge Golf Course. South Side also was there but didn’t have enough players for a team score.
In just two weeks, Norwell has established it can be one of the best teams in the area. On Monday and Tuesday last week, the team won the Bellmont Invitational with six participating schools and the South Adams Invitational with 14 others.
“The wins last week at the invites were great for the girls’ morale,” head coach Mike Niermeyer said after the dual match Monday. “They worked hard through the summer on getting better, and I feel it paid off.”
The 188 the team shot wasn’t apparently up to par for the girls in this particular meet, as Niermeyer said there was some disappointment from the group. He, however, felt differently, and said that he always asked afterward what issues occurred on the course, how they could get better, and how to make adjustments the next time.
Considering the recent outing at Bellmont, the frustration is understandable. Had the Knights shot a 188 for another nine holes, the team would have gained seven strokes at Cross Creek in Decatur but three better than at Wabash Valley.
Norwell is seeking another regional appearance at the state level, as it finished 11th out of 15 schools in 2022. A repeat would be in order, but not easy, as the Knights would need to replace two of the starting five in the lineup after graduating seniors Emma Dodane and Hayden Double. However, this program has strength in numbers, with 15 members on the team that are motivated during the season and in the offseason.
“A lot of the girls played in summer tournaments, and I think that helped them get ready for the start of the season,” Niermeyer said.
The Knights’ returners are headlined by Ellie Gatton, who led the team against North Side with a 45, and Anna Dodane, who had a 47. Both of them were top-of-the-scorecard contenders in every match for the team last year.
Emmy Heaston (48) and Nevada Lenwell (48) also contributed to the lineup last year in the four through six slots in the order of a roster filled with depth. Another name to watch out for is a newer face this season — Sophomore Savanna Simmerman shot a 54 in the match but scored a 96 at the Bellmont Invitational, which cracked the top five at the event in the individual player pool. She also shot a 97 at the South Adams Invitational and made the top 10 as an individual.
Norwell’s next regular season match will be at Garrett at 4 p.m. Thursday, August 10. The next invitational won’t be until Bi-County on Aug. 26 at Timber Ridge.
sports@news-banner.com
