The girls varsity golf team competed in the Forest Hills Northern Invitational on Monday, October 4. The Lady Rangers placed fourth as a team with a score of 403. Sophomore Skyler Tierney led the team with a score of 85 and a tie for a third-place finish. Weather conditions were not ideal for the competitors who played drizzling rain throughout the day. 

“The course was soaked,” Skyler said. “It is a hard course to begin with, and the really hard conditions just made it more difficult.”

Fellow sophomore Maya Fitzgerald shot a 96, which was good enough for a top ten performance. Seniors Alyssa Cheslek and Bella Wiseley followed, shooting 110 and 112. Forest Hills Northern came away victorious in the Ernie Popiel Memorial Tournament by outlasting Coopersville 373 to 377. 

The Rangers now shift their focus to Thursday’s regional tournament at Lincoln Golf Club in Muskegon. The Rangers were able to get a taste of the course last week in the Reeths-Puffer invitational, where they finished seventh. On Monday, the Rangers were forced to buckle down in the chilling wind and rain. The dreary weather seems to be in store for Thursday’s regional tournament as well. 

“We might be playing in similar weather on Thursday, so it was good to play in those types of conditions,” head coach Paul TenEyck said. “We have our work cut out for ourselves; we know what we need to do Thursday.”

The top three teams to finish at regionals will advance to the state tournament held at Grand Valley State’s home course, The Meadows. It has been multiple years since Forest Hills Central last appeared in the state tournament, and the girls have worked towards this goal all season long.