Published: October 04, 2008 10:57 pm      

GOLF: Cardwell ties for 5th at state

Kokomo golfer named to all-state squad

Kokomo golfer Kristi Cardwell shot a 79 Saturday to tie for fifth at the IHSAA Girls Golf State Finals at The Legends in Franklin. She shot a two-round total of 149 at the par-72 course.

“It was nice to finish top five in the state because I finished 20some the last couple years,” the University of Iowa recruit said.

She encountered a few more rough spots Saturday than she had Friday, when she shot a school-record 2-under 70.

“I doubled No. 18, so I could have been in third but … anything happens so it wasn’t that great,” Cardwell said of her Saturday. “I liked the two-day total. It wasn’t a bad round, it was another good round — two good rounds put together.”

Kokomo coach Andy Carpenter believes Cardwell tying for fifth gives her the best result for a Kokomo girl in the school’s history at state.

“For the whole tournament, she did really well,” Carpenter said. “[Friday], she had her outstanding round. [Saturday], she had a couple holes she struggled on on the front nine. On the back nine she made a couple of mental mistakes. That cost her a couple strokes.

“She finished tied for fifth. She was disappointed in her score [Saturday], but she’s very happy about [the state finals]. She did make the all-state team.”

The top six finalists at the state meet qualify for the all-state squad, with the rest of the team made up of other golfers who had had superb seasons. Cardwell, a senior, was also all-state last season.

“She had a great career all four years and this year was a nice way to finish it out to be in the top five,” Carpenter said. “She was very proud of that.”

Richmond sophomore Trisha Witherby was the medalist. She shot 66 in the opening round and 77 Saturday to post a 143 total and win by a stroke over Noblesville senior Emily Podzielinski.

Hamilton Southeastern took the team title, carding rounds of 315 and 312 for a two-day total of 627. Richmond was 10 shots behind in second.