Mattoon girls capture Apollo golf title; 2 pair of siblings earn all-conference

Julia Morton used to think those on the course were intimidating.

Morton didn’t start golfing until her freshman year. It was supposed to be something she could do for fun as she combats playing on the volleyball team at the same time. Then, she fell in love with the game. As of today, she is someone that everyone around the Apollo looks at as intimidating.

Morton was one of three Mattoon golfers to place All-Apollo as the Green Wave won the Apollo Conference title by one stroke on Monday at Charleston Country Club.

“It’s a pretty big deal because I feel that I have come a long way since my freshman year,” said Morton. “I was not expecting to make it in the top-8 considering a lot of the girls have been playing since they were younger. It’s intimidating, but I feel that as long as I stick to it and keep practicing, it’s doable. I am just proud of myself for getting here.”

Morton placed sixth overall, while Marley Vanhoveln placed eighth to help Mattoon beat Mahomet-Seymour by one stroke for the girls team championship, 365-366. The lowest four scores from each team are used.

Sophomore Blair Powers led the way with a second-place overall finish with a score of 82, five strokes behind individual medalist Ainsley Winters of Mahomet-Seymour.

“Blair is certainly paying very well right now.,” Mattoon coach Natalie Ambuehl said. “Julia had a nice round today, and that might have been the difference. It’s nice having the support following Blair. I’m pleased to have three golfers earn all-conference.”

Powers was one of two pair of siblings to earn all-conference honors Monday.

Blaine Powers, a senior, shot 82 to finish ninth and help the MHS boys take second, trailing Mahomet by just two strokes for the team title.

This is the second year the Powers have both earned all-conference honors.

Charleston’s Delaney Meister, a senior, took third after shooting 86 at CCC. Hudson Meister, her freshman brother, carded an 81 to finish sixth in the boys tournament at Mattoon Country Club on Monday to also earn all-Apollo.

Morton was happy with her score across the challenging course..

“Given how hard Charleston Country Club is, it’s a big deal to be all-conference,” said Morton. “For me, getting a 91 made me even more proud. I just took it one hole at a time.”

Ambuehl echoed similar sentiments by reminding her players to concentrate on the “easy shots” like tap-in putts.

“It’s a challenging course, and it certainly had its way with some players today,” said Ambuehl. “Every stroke counts. It certainly showed today.”

Morton said the best part of the day was that it felt like the end of a regular match. The team’s chemistry is so tight that it all goes back to the principle of each member asking how the other did during the day.

Winning the conference was just an added layer.

“When you look at our matches in the past, it doesn’t matter what you shoot. Someone on the team is always going to tell you ‘good job,’” said Morton. “That is what sticks out to me. I saw Blair first and I asked her how she did and her first response was to ask me how I did. Everyone on this team is eager to see how the other did because we always pick each other up. That’s my main takeaway from not just this match, but all matches, because the team is always so proud of one another.”

Individual Results

Place	Score	Name	School
1	77	Ainsley Winters	Mahomet-Seymour
2	82	Blair Powers	Mattoon
3	86	Delaney Meister	Charleston
4	87	Kayla McKinney	Mahomet-Seymour
5	87	Sophia Robinson	Taylorville
6	91	Julia Morton	Mattoon
7	92	Elena Niebrugge	Effingham
8	93	Marley Vanhoveln	Mattoon
9	94	Madeline Sanders	Charleston
10	94	Marah Kirk	Effingham
11	95	Ella Tuman	Effingham
12	96	Emma Espinoza	Mt. Zion
13	97	Ella Niebrugge	Effingham
14	97	Marissa Allie	Effingham
15	98	Emma Baker	Lincoln Community
16	99	Carrigan Hyland	Mattoon
17	101	Anna Hirtzel	Effingham
18	101	Emma Dallas	Mahomet-Seymour
19	101	Elena Tompkins	Mahomet-Seymour
20	103	Gabby Daniels	Mt. Zion
21	104	Kennedy Highley	Mt. Zion
22	105	Mia Tribble	Charleston
23	106	Berit Haldorsen	Mattoon
24	106	Adrienne Muchow	Mattoon
25	109	Bailey Wolfe	Charleston
26	111	Maddy Clark	Mahomet-Seymour
27	112	Laura Wayman	Taylorville
28	116	Peyton Graves	Mt. Zion
29	118	Kaydee Prose	Taylorville
30	126	Lydia Trump	Mt. Zion
31	129	Izzy Stewart	Lincoln Community
32	130	Avery Kyburz	Mt. Zion
33	140	Ryleigh Mizeur-Crist	Taylorville
34	144	Sori Springer	Lincoln Community
35	147	Morgan Smallhorn	Charleston
36	148	Maci Babbs	Charleston
37	161	McKinlee Stoltzenburg	Lincoln Community
38	180	Jordan Dieterich	Taylorville
39	DQ	Brooke Hartman	Mahomet-Seymour
40	WD	Marin Luckhart	Lincoln Community