Three golfers earn FVA recognition

By Scott Bellile

Three Hortonville golfers earned all-Fox Valley Association recognition and also helped set a new school record at the conference meet on Thursday, Sept. 24.

The Polar Bears hit a combined 18-hole score of 357 at Lake Breeze Golf Club to place fourth in the FVA. They finished behind Oshkosh West (324), Appleton North (352) and Kimberly (356).

The four golfers who together hit the 357 were Chloe Crusan (82), Bree Downie (83), Abby Nelson (89) and Abbey Karns (103).

Crusan tied for fifth place and earned First Team All-Conference. Downie tied for seventh to earn Second Team All-Conference. Nelson was an All-Conference Honorable Mention.

“It was a really good day for everybody,” Downie said. “A couple holes were rough, but everybody really held it together in the end.”

Hortonville coach Kathy Kiger said everything seemed to “click” for Hortonville at the FVA meet, but it wasn’t a flawless performance.

“We left too many strokes on the course that impacted our finish and final placement,” Kiger said. “The girls did an awesome job, but just those few strokes would have changed the outcome. We will just have to wait and see what Regionals bring.”

Hortonville’s Regional was scheduled to take place in Kaukauna on Wednesday, Sept. 30, after this newspaper went to print.

Kiger predicted a tough Regional. She said her golfers were shaken by the death of the late Hortonville student Emily Nickel, who died in a car accident on School Road on Friday, Sept. 25. One golfer planned to bow out of Wednesday’s Regional to pay respects to Nickel.

Nonetheless, Kiger was ready to go with a complete four-girl team.

Results from the Regional will appear in next week’s issue.

Appleton North 171, Hortonville 186
The Polar Bears lost their final golf dual of the season to Appleton North by 15 strokes at Irish Waters Golf Course on Sept. 22.

Crusan hit a 40 to win the dual. Downie hit a 41 for a three-way tie with two Appleton golfers. Nelson tied for fifth overall with a 44.

Bailey Schernick finished fourth for her team with a 61.