Demons win conference dual

Despite claiming a conference dual victory on Monday afternoon, there was a sense that there was something more to be gained by the Washington girls? golf team.

The Demons won their dual against Mt. Pleasant at the Washington Golf and Country Club by 18 strokes, 174-192, but in their first of four home meets this season, they all are looking to improve.

?I?m glad to hear they felt it was OK,? Washington girls? golf head coach Leonard Kull said. ?It was an outstanding score; however, I can tell that they want to keep improving their skills, which is always what we want them to do. Relative to who we are playing, we are playing super, but relative to how they can play, they are doing OK.?

Leading the charge for the Demons in the meet was medalist Sarah Nacos, who posted a one-over 37, but the sophomore still had the last two holes in her memory, after bogeying the eighth and ninth holes.

?I definitely left a lot of shots out there,? Nacos said. ?I ended bogey, bogey, then there was a three-putt miss, but that happens. It was an OK round overall.?

After the meet, Kull was quick to make sure to put the reigning Class 4A individual state champion?s strong round in perspective.

?She?s upset with a one-over,? Kull said. ?She was one-under through seven holes and went bogey-bogey. Where she?s coming from and where 99.9 percent of the others are coming from are a different place. There?s not a ?fix? to that. That?s just a matter of doing it again.?

Senior Deanna Peiffer was the meet runner-up, posting a 42 on the day, despite a tough stretch on hole No. 8, which saw her post a seven.

?It?s not a bad score, but I think my score is better than how I played, but that?s how it goes some days,? Peiffer said. ?I didn?t chip very well and sometimes my putting was off. I left a lot of strokes out there, three-putting a couple of times and I?m not sticking my chips close.?

Fellow senior Brenna Burlingame posted the next score on the card, notching a 47 in the nine-hole meet.

?It was a good 47 for having an 8 and a 7, but I didn?t think I did too well,? Burlingame said. ?With it being our first home meet, we think we have to perform so well and it might?ve been in our heads a bit.?

Sophomore Megan Strabala posted a 48 to round out the counting scores for the Demons, and is looking to improve in her next chance at the home course.

?I wasn?t too happy with it, because in practices I?ve been shooting low 40s here,? Strabala said. ?I wish I would have done a little better, but I?ll take it. (I struggled) with my short game and getting it close to the hole.?

Demon sophomore Allison Vogel posted a 54 on the day, and Kull noted that she could factor into the final score soon.

?I think (Brenna, Allison and Megan) are right on the verge of making a big step,? Kull said. ?Those three are vying for our last two scores. They need to identify when they are about to get into trouble and not make the ?hero? shot, and just get it in play. Then they can take a bogey or a double-bogey and move on.?

Freshman Carly Burlingame posted a 70 on the day, including a par on the hole No. 2.

?I would have been happy with 10 strokes higher (as a team),? Kull said. ?We have been playing some courses that aren?t as challenging as this one. They were able to put together a real good score, and I have the feeling that there is more to be gained out there.?

The Demons are scheduled to play at Ottumwa on Tuesday, before hosting a pair of meets next week.