'Competitive' Dunham sisters lead South Bend Saint Joseph girls golf to IHSAA state finals

‘Competitive’ Dunham sisters lead South Bend Saint Joseph girls golf to IHSAA state finals

Posted by Admin October 3, 2024 Golf

Northridge looks for top five finish at state as well

SOUTH BEND — Even Dan Mentock admits it’s hard to tell the difference between Marley and Lucy Dunham sometimes.

“They have the same swings and same body styles, so it’s kind of tough,” Mentock quipped.

It’s a good problem to have for the South Bend Saint Joseph girls golf head coach.

The Dunham sisters have led the Huskies all season, including to a sectional title two weeks ago and regional runner-up finish last week. This qualified Saint Joseph for the state championship meet this Friday and Saturday at Prairie View Golf Course in Carmel.

“It’s competitive, but we both help each other out,” Lucy, a freshman, said on the relationship between her and her older sister. “Whenever one plays better than the other, we both congratulate each other. We’ll kind of brag, but we’re mostly humble.”

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Golf has been in the Dunham’s blood since birth. Their dad, John, played collegiately at Notre Dame, while mother, Kasey, played at Michigan State.

Marley, a junior, has tasted success at the high school level before this season. She reached the state finals as an individual last year, finishing tied for 50th. As the only member of the Huskies roster to have competed at that level, she’s planning on sharing her insights with her teammates to help them prepare for what’s coming this weekend.

“I’m just trying to help them play smart because I learned with that course, you can’t take many risks,” Marley said. “So, just where to hit it and how it’s just another tournament. Yes, it’s bigger, but it’s just another tournament.”

While Marley has been the No. 1 player in the Saint Joseph lineup, Lucy has actually been the top scorer for the Huskies in the postseason. Her 79 led all players at the Penn sectional, while her 83 at the Lake Central regional was three shots better than her older sister.

“I wasn’t the only leader — my sister also was,” Lucy pointed out. “We wouldn’t be in this spot if she wasn’t there, too, along with the rest of the team. The thought of us going to state motivated me more and everyone else on the team to practice harder.”

While little sister has gotten the edge in recent weeks, Marley has had a deeper sense of appreciation for this year getting to enjoy it with Lucy.

“It’s really fun because she’s actually family, so I think it brings us closer, too,” Marley said. “It’s just a whole new aspect to the season for me.”

Joining the Dunham’s in the varsity lineup the last two weekends has been juniors Sydney Schmeltz and Isabella Jeffery and sophomore Reese Hull, meaning all five players will be back next season as well. While they know they’re young, the Huskies have a goal of a top 10 finish this weekend.

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“We’re doing a practice round on Thursday, so we plan on taking a lot of notes,” Lucy said. “We all need to focus on one shot at a time so we don’t get too ahead of ourselves.”

Regardless of how the weekend goes, Mentock knows it will be a learning experience for all.

“If we play well, we can get into the top 10, which I think would be a really good thing,” Mentock said. “It would also be a springboard for next year. We’re really looking at this year to set the tone for next year.”

Northridge hopes to end historic season with strong finish

After reaching the state finals for the first time in program history last season, Northridge has built off that success this fall. It won a sectional championship for the first time since 2019 and notched the program’s first ever regional crown last weekend.

With a talented quartet at the top of the lineup in juniors Alex Reschly and Macey Riegsecker and seniors Lizzy and Addy Irving, the Raiders believe a top five finish is in play for them at state.

“I think they’re really confident,” Northridge coach Ken Brewster said. “They were checking regional scores every day; they checked the pairings now and they’re excited. I think they’ll come out a lot better on that first day just because it’s not new now.”

Not only could Northridge do well as a team, but Reschly has a chance to win the individual state title. She’s been one of the more consistent players in the area all year, including winning a sectional on her home course of Meadow Valley Golf Club in Middlebury with a 68.

“All-state is definitely one of her personal goals,” Brewster said. “Her ultimate personal goal would be to bring another individual championship to northern Indiana, and she’s right there. If you look at the field, there’s six or seven girls that definitely have a shot at winning.”

Two South Bend area individuals competing

Two other area individuals in the state field are Penn senior Scarlett Biever and NorthWood junior Sophie Richmond. The latter could be in the mix for an individual title as well after shooting a 72 at last week’s East Noble regional, tying her for first place.

If Reschly or Richmond were to be the medalist this weekend, it would give Elkhart County the two reigning high school golf state champions after Fairfield’s Brayden Miller won the boys title back in June.