State Champs!

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By Sam Smith

Lovell Lady Bulldog Golfers capture 3A State Golf crown

They did it!

The Lovell Lady Bulldog golf team made history as the first LHS girls golf team to win a state title as they won the Class 3A State Golf Tournament Friday and Saturday in Evanston.

The Lady Bulldogs found themselves trailing Green River 276-270 after day one action. Greybull freshman Erika Cook led the 3A girls field with a 76, just one stroke ahead of Isabell Salas of Green River. Senior Adessa Lundberg was in third with an 81 after day one, and sophomore Alex Walker shot a 119.

“To be honest, I was a little nervous to be six strokes behind Green River after the first day,” coach Craig Lundberg said. “Their golfers played pretty great that first day, and our girls had shot one of our best rounds of the year, and we still trailed. I also knew that the weather was going to change for day two, and you can never know how that is going to affect the golfers. In our case it had very little effect and that turned out to be a good thing for us.”

On day two of the tournament, things worked out just as Lundberg had thought it would for Lovell as the Lady Bulldogs shot a team score of 279 and Green River struggled by shooting a 296, losing their lead. Lovell also held off a rally from Wheatland as the Platte County girls shot a 281 the first day and a 277 the second for a 558 to close within three strokes of the champs.

Cook shot an 80 on day two to finish the tournament with a 156 and win the 3A individual state title, seven strokes ahead of Salas.

“It felt great,” Cook said. “I was so happy with the way all three of us played. I’m very happy with the way I played individually, and I’m proud of what the three of us have accomplished this year.

“It felt great being an individual state champion. Going into it, I was very excited to play the course and see what I finished with. I was proud of the scores I put down there. It feels amazing to be a part of the first ever Lady Bulldog state golf title. I was happy with the way all of us played.”

Lundberg shot a day two score of 85 for a two-day score of 166 to place third and earn her fourth all-state award. The 3A State Golf Tournament was the last fall contest for Lundberg, who earned all-conference and all-state honors all four years of her high school career.

“For me, as a freshman, it was my dream to be a state champion and to also have a girls team,” Lundberg said. “This year, both of those things came true. It was really nice to have a good connection with the girls.

“As a team, we did really good encouraging and pushing each other to the next boundary, so I think that’s why we performed the way we did. I love these girls to pieces.”

Walker shaved five strokes off her day one score and shot a 114 Saturday for a total of 233 to place 35th.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Walker said about winning a team state title. “I’m super stoked about it. It’s really cool to say we are the first Lovell girls team to win State.

“The first day I didn’t do as well as I should have. My first couple of holes on the second day scared me, but I was glad I was able to pull it together for the others.”

“When we started the tournament, I did not think our girls would make history, but they did,” Coach Lundberg said. “They are the first girls team to win a state championship in golf for LHS. How cool is that?”

Coach Lundberg said it was pretty special to have his daughter be a part of a state championship team her senior year and to have the three girls come together to make that happen.

“I know it’s something my daughter dreamed about,” the coach said. “Being able to have a team was awesome. To have a freshman win the state title is pretty surreal. That in itself is pretty amazing.

“All the girls were able to do what they needed to do in order to be successful individually and as a team. I couldn’t be prouder of them. Alex, Adessa and Erika were just focused in on doing the best they could for themselves but also for the team. They cheered for each other and helped each other up when they were down. I don’t know if I have ever been a part of a group where there were so many smiles and laughs as well as tears. It was pretty great to see them mature and grow up.”