Clay golfers hoping this is year for a championship

By: 
Mark Griffin

Clay’s girls golf team hasn’t won a league championship since 2010, its last season competing in the Toledo City League.
Since moving to the 10-member Three Rivers Athletic Conference beginning with the 2011 season, the Eagles have watched St. Ursula Academy win all eight TRAC girls golf titles. Clay coach Kevin Crosson, who has coached the Clay Eagles for two decades, said this year’s squad has the talent to end its nine-year championship drought.
“I have 18 girls signed up and I have nine freshmen coming in,” Crosson said. “St. Ursula and (2018 conference runner-up) Notre Dame graduated a lot, so I’m hoping my top three play up to and above their potential. The remainder of the girls have been working hard all summer long. Hopefully, we knock on the door for a league title.”
Clay finished third in the TRAC last season and graduated two of their top players from that squad. Macie Grimes, the team’s No. 1 golfer and a four-year varsity player, is now playing at Indiana Tech after earning second-team All-TRAC honors a year ago. Delanie Nothief, who played in the fifth position last season, is now playing at Lourdes University.
“Positions three, four, six, seven, eight and nine were a jumble each week last year,” Crosson said. “They were interchangeable. Three to six (of those girls), for sure, will factor into the starting lineup this year.”
Senior Madison Huss moves from the No. 2 position to the No. 1 position in the lineup this season. She also earned second-team All-TRAC honors last year.
“Madison is one of the longer hitters in northwest Ohio,” Crosson said. “She hits her driver about 250 yards. She played all summer in the Toledo Junior Golf Association and did well. Her scores were very respectful for courses she’d never played before. She has already received college offers and is on her way down that road to pursuing playing college golf.”
Cali Jo Quigg, a second-team all-conference performer last season, returns for her senior season.
“She played all summer long with Madison in the TJGA working on her game,” Crosson said. “She’s well on the road to playing golf at the next level, like Madison. She’s pretty long like Madison, and Cali Jo is a phenomenal putter.”
Crosson said he expects senior Ellie McVicker to be one of Clay’s top three players. McVicker earned honorable mention All-TRAC honors last season.
“Ellie really hits the ball straight,” Crosson said. “If she makes a mistake, she does not let it turn from a bogey into a triple. She grinds it out and relies on her short game to get her out of trouble – if she gets into trouble.”
Quigg, McVicker and Huss are tri-captains.
Crosson said junior Lily Malin “was in the mix last year and will be competing to be in the top six this year.” He also said juniors Vicky Chen, Isabella Roberts and Maggie Materni could have breakout seasons, and he thanked Eagle’s Landing Golf Club “for their years of support for the Clay golf programs and junior golf.”
The Eagles open the season with a TRAC shootout on Aug. 5 at Red Hawk Run in Findlay.
 
 
       
 

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