In its seventh season the John Marshall Girls Golf Team has slowly built itself into a power to be reckoned with in the Ohio Valley.\u00a0 This year\u2019s team has battled the elements to a 15-4 record that has included some of the top competition in both West Virginia and Ohio.<\/p>\n
In fact, the Lady Monarchs are undefeated against West Virginia and OVAC competition.\u00a0 Their only losses have come in the Lady Muskie Classic in Zanesville where JM finished fifth in a field of twelve outstanding teams including some of the top girl golf programs in the state of Ohio.\u00a0 They have managed to do in in some terrible weather conditions.\u00a0 A recent win over the girls from Wheeling Central and Brooke give the JM girls wins in four consecutive matches where they completed their rounds in wind and rain.\u00a0 Despite the weather, they just keep winning.<\/p>\n
When the John Marshall High School decided to have a separate girls team six years ago, they were\u00a0 the only separate girls team in West Virginia, but found great opportunities to compete against schools in Ohio.\u00a0 This season though, they are joined by full girls\u2019 teams at Wheeling Central, University and Brooke High Schools.<\/p>\n
The team is led by outstanding freshman Kianna Garrison.\u00a0 She is a cousin and is mentored by former top JM golfer and current Bethany College golf coach Kailey Pettit, Garrison has been the team\u2019s leading scorer in nearly every match. This is in addition to also being one of the top scorers on the JM boys team as well.<\/p>\n
Junior, Jocelyn Blatt adds her three years of experience of being one of the top JM female golfers in the program.\u00a0 She provides the skill and experience the young John Marshall girls team needs.<\/p>\n
Senior Alexis Cumberledge is the team\u2019s biggest surprise.\u00a0 After starting on the JM softball\u2019s state championship team, the outstanding athlete has taken up golf with great success.\u00a0 She is one of the team\u2019s low scorers and has also contributed to the boys team\u2019s success as well.<\/p>\n
Morgan Messner, a sophomore with a year\u2019s experience on the JM varsity has provided invaluable leadership for the team both on and off the course.\u00a0 She is also probably the most consistent player on the team and provides plenty of advice for the many first year players on the team.<\/p>\n
Another surprise this season has been sophomore Payten Jones.\u00a0 While she had dabbled in golf for a year or so, her primary focus has always been cheering and dance but this season, Miss. Jones has found great success on the golf course. \u00a0\u00a0She has played very well on the girls varsity team.<\/p>\n
Junior Raegan Gorby adds her two years of experience to the JM team.\u00a0 More known for her bowling skills, Miss Gorby provides the depth that is key to this year\u2019s success.<\/p>\n
Another junior Alexis Thayer, also a member of the state championship softball team, has found that golf may be easier that softball, because \u201cthe ball is not moving when you hit it.\u201d\u00a0 Her power and strength provides her the ability to drive the ball further that all of the other JM team members and her short game continues to improve.<\/p>\n
As their season continues for the next six weeks, the girls face some fun challenges.\u00a0 First, on Friday, August 18 they will compete in the inaugural Two Rivers Athletic Conference Tournament at Moundsville Country Club.\u00a0 They also will be playing in the sixth annual OV Athletics Invitational Girls Tournament, and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Girls Tournament.\u00a0 Their big challenge will be competing in the Sixth Annual West Virginia Secondary School Girls Invitational Golf Tournament at Mingo Bottom Golf Course in Elizabeth, West Virginia.\u00a0 The JM girls love the very challenging Mingo Bottom track and consider it \u201ctheir home away from home.\u201d\u00a0 As JM Coach Dave Gaudino likes to say, \u201cMingo Bottom is one of the best courses in West Virginia that no one has ever heard of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coach Gaudino is joined on the JM golf staff by assistants August \u201cGus\u201d Hanson and first year coach, Cliff Wolodkin.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In its seventh season the John Marshall Girls Golf Team has slowly built itself into a power to be reckoned with in the Ohio Valley.\u00a0 This year\u2019s team has battled the elements to a 15-4 record that has included some of the top competition in both West Virginia and Ohio. In fact, the Lady Monarchs […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":21863,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21862","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-high-school"],"yoast_head":"\n