It was a tough day for golfers at Meadowview Golf Course Monday.

Strong winds mixed with rain that fell for at least three to four holes inflated scores in the Apollo Conference championship.

Despite scores much higher than CHS coach Todd Keating had expected, the Trojans defended their title by compiling 391 strokes behind all-conference performances by Stacey Zerbst and Madeline Sanders.

Zerbst fired a 91 to finish in second, three strokes behind Effingham’s Ainsley Winters, while Sanders carded a 98 to finish seventh.

Keating says Monday’s performance revealed two of his squad’s strengths:

  1. The girls’ ability to not quit when things aren’t going well.
  1. The depth of the team.

“We always seem to have someone providing a solid backup score to keep us in contention,” Keating said.

Rileigh Babbs recorded a 100 and Delaney Meister a 102 to round out the scoring.

“This team does not disappoint,” Keating said. “As always, I’m very proud of them.”

Mattoon’s Blair Powers and Berit Haldorsen also earned all-conference honors to lift a young Green Wave squad to a third-place team finish, three strokes behind Mahomet.

Powers carded a 94 for third and Haldorsen took sixth with a 97. Marley Van Hovelyn (100) and Carrigan Hyland (106) completed the scoring for an MHS team filled entirely with underclassmen.

“We are in this for the long haul,” MHS coach Natalie Ambuehl said. “The girls are still finding out things about their games. And that’s OK.”