Zionsville freshman Taylor Snively wins individual title, leads Eagles to team title

Posted by Admin October 6, 2024 Golf

Lewis Bagley
| Special for IndyStar

CARMEL – Making history at an IHSAA girls golf state finals is an impressive feat.

What’s more impressive is to consider Zionsville’s Taylor Snively did it twice Saturday at the girls golf finals here at Prairie View Golf Club.

And she’s only a freshman.

Snively claimed the individual title with a two-round total of 144 (72-72), to top Castle senior Ashley Kirkland by two strokes (77-69-146).

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Snively becomes only the third freshman in the 52-year history of the IHSAA finals to claim individual honors. Columbus North’s Ava Bunker (2022) and Warsaw’s Emily Johnson (2003) were the others.

“Taylor loves this game and played a solid tournament,” Zionsville coach Maggie Nobbe said. “She’s out there to play her game, but she’s also there for her teammates.”

As a result of Snively’s individual performance, her teammates also claimed a championship as the Eagles shot 627, five strokes ahead of Noblesville. Zionsville shot 215 Friday and followed that up with a 212 Saturday.

It’s Zionsville’s first state title since 2017. Nobbe, now in her fifth year as head coach, played for that Eagles squad.

The team title leaves Snively with perhaps a more impressive bit of history to her credit: She’s the first individual champ to play for the team champion since 1999. Martinsville’s Leigh Anne Hardin (one of the most decorated golfers in IHSAA history) completed a three-peat as individual champ that year as the Artesians finished a five-year run as state champs.

“I’m just going to celebrate this and have fun,” Snively said of the accomplishments. “Our team has been there all season grinding and we had a lot of belief.”

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Snively. She came into the final round in a three-way tie with Westfield’s Addi Kooi and Floyd Central’s Paige Giovenco after each shot an even-par 72 Friday.

Kooi and Snively played in the same foursome and dueled most of the day. Snively came out hot Saturday with a birdie on No. 1 and an eagle on the par-5 No. 3, but a double-bogey on No. 8 left her only one shot ahead of the Westfield senior.

“I three-putted from 10 feet on No. 8,” Snively said. “Addi is a phenomenal player and she kept the pressure on me. I played the next few holes pretty well and I felt like I couldn’t lose it.”

She didn’t. Snively eventually opened up a five-shot lead by No. 16 and held on, despite a triple-bogey on No. 18.

By that point, however, things were pretty much decided. Kooi and Giovenco dropped to 4-over for the day and finished tied for third behind Kirkland — whose Saturday round of 69 proved to be the best of the tournament.

Things were pretty much decided in the team standings by then, as well.

Noblesville came into the final round with a five-shot lead, but the Eagles made that up over the first four holes, then led by six shots at the turn.

The Millers rebounded and tied the score at plus-43 after the 11^th hole, but Zionsville reestablished a four-shot lead after No. 12.

“All the girls stayed in it and pushed through any hardships,” Nobbe said. “After Friday, we were on the hunt because we had strokes to make up. We just kept chugging along and played with no fear.”

“Zionsville played some great golf (Saturday),” Noblesville coach Justin Werkley said. “We didn’t have our best day, but all the credit goes to Zionsville.”

Over two days, Amaya Wade shot 159 for the Eagles, while Avery Lewis (163), Paige Henney (165) and Kaitlyn Adler (167) rounded out the team score. It should be noted Lewis, like Snively, is a freshman, Adler and Henney are sophomores and Wade a junior.

“We are such a young team, but these girls didn’t care,” Nobbe said. “They knew they could play with anybody and it gives us confidence going into next year. True, we will be a target for everyone, but we’ll take it.

“The possibilities are endless for this team.”

Hamilton Southeastern finished third with 652, one shot ahead of Westfield, followed by Franklin (654), Center Grove (674), Batesville (681) and Carmel (691) to round out the top eight. Carmel had won the previous two state championships.