Hackett Reaches Champion's Expectation
October 18, 2014
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
ALLENDALE – Members of Kalamazoo Hackett’s girls golf team noticed the winter hats right away Friday night while shopping at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Grandville.
“We all wanted to match,” senior Carrie Radomsky said. “We sprinted toward them when we saw them.”
The stylish hats were needed on a frigid afternoon at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University, and they coincided with the Fighting Irish’s balanced play on the course.
Kalamazoo Hackett claimed its first MHSAA Finals title on Saturday with a dominating showing at the Lower Peninsula Division 4 championship tournament.
The Fighting Irish tallied a two-round score of 690 and defeated runner-up Harbor Springs (724) by 34 strokes.
Macomb Lutheran North placed third at 728.
“It means a lot,” fourth-year Kalamazoo Hackett coach Alan Radomsky said. “I was lucky when I came in four years ago that it already was a strong program. The players made the decision not only to be a good program, but they wanted to be great and do the best that they could.
“I believe if you set high expectations for kids, they love that, and these girls basically accepted that challenge. They practice hard every day, and they have fun every day. These girls have earned everything because of the amount of effort and work they put in.”
The Fighting Irish, who closed with a 341 in the final round, had two girls finish among the individual top 10.
Carrie Radomsky (87-82-169) tied for seventh, while junior Lizzie Stull (87-84-171) tied for ninth.
“This is so special,” Carrie Radomsky said. “I’m so happy to be able to win with my team, and this is the best team I could ask for to win a state championship with.
“At the beginning of the year we knew that we had a good chance to win state, and that has made it that much more special.”
Stull, the team’s No. 1 player, struggled on the front nine Saturday, but turned it around by shooting 1-over on the back.
“I realized that I needed to pull it together for my team because I wanted to make them proud, and I wanted to win a state championship,” Stull said. “I was playing for them and not myself. I know that it was hard conditions, but I’m so proud of everyone and everyone played really well.”
The remainder of the squad consisted of junior Rebecca Radomsky, senior Erinn Scott and sophomore Naomi Keyte.
Alan Radomsky was thrilled to share the feat with his two daughters on the squad.
“It’s incredibly special,” he said. “When the job came open, I didn’t want to coach. I thought they could learn more from someone else, and I could just be a parent.
“But I took (the job), and it ended up being the best experience I’ve ever had with anything I’ve done.”
Harbor Springs recorded its best Finals finish in school history. Senior Abbey Detmar made a fantastic comeback from a first-round 90 and carded a tournament-low 75 to place third overall.
“We strongly felt that we had a shot at it,” Harbor Springs coach Pete Kelbel said. “Coming out of regionals we had the lowest score of all the teams, so I thought coming down here that we were a legitimate contender for the title.
“We knew the history of Kalamazoo Hackett, so we’re not disappointed to lose to them. I’m very proud of the girls for runner-up and very happy.”
Maple City Glen Lake sophomore Nichole Cox captured individual honors.
Cox earned medalist with a 159 after rounds of 83 and 76. She edged Farwell’s Bria Colosky (83-77-160) by one stroke.
“I just wanted to do better than Friday and stay focused,” Cox said. “My goal coming in was to win, and when I looked at everyone who was playing, I thought I had a chance.”
Cox registered three birdies in her final round, and her only hiccup was a double-bogey on the last hole.
“That stunk, but I was still OK,” Cox said. “I was a little worried after that because I didn’t know how far ahead I was.”
Cox said an improved putting stroke and consistency from the fairway helped propel her to the top of the leader board.
“All of my putts were going in until that last hole, and I was getting on the greens in regulation,” she said. “I also hit my driver straighter.
“I don’t think I’ve comprehended all of this yet, but I’m very happy.”
PHOTOS: (Top) Kalamazoo Hackett had been a contender in the past, but claimed its first MHSAA title Saturday. (Middle) Maple City Glen Lake sophomore Nichole Cox follows through on a putt on the way to winning the individual title. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com).
Already in Select Company, South Lyon's Tapp Has Chance to Chase Finals History
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
September 1, 2022
SOUTH LYON – Nobody could’ve blamed anyone at the 2019 MHSAA Lower Peninsula Division 2 Girls Golf Final if they looked at the scoreboard and thought, “Where did THAT come from?”
It’s hard enough for anyone to win an individual state title, but South Lyon’s Gabby Tapp managed to do so.
It’s even harder to win one as a freshman, but Tapp did just that.
If only the story had stopped there.
Tapp won as a freshman, only a few months after playing a full 18-hole round of golf for the first time.
Yes, the first time in her life.
“I would just go to the range and I got lessons, so I would work on my swing,” she said. “But I didn’t really play a whole lot.”
All of which made that Finals title as a freshman even more stunning.
“At that time, we didn’t have the online scoring, so I didn’t know how I was doing compared to everyone else,” Tapp said. “I remember getting off that 18th green and my coach came up to me and said, ‘You won.’ I was like, ‘What?’ That’s when I kind of realized I could go somewhere with (golf).”
Indeed, since that improbable triumph as a freshman, all Tapp has done is prove that it was no fluke.
Tapp tied for sixth at the LPD2 Final as a sophomore, and then won her second individual Finals title last year as a junior by shooting a two-day score of 144 (70-74) at Battle Creek’s Bedford Valley.
Tapp was named to the all-state Super Team following last year and enters this fall as a legitimate Miss Golf Award candidate.
Despite two Finals individual titles, three top-10 finishes and contributing to a Finals team championship, everything did not come as easily as it may have seemed.
Her sophomore season in 2020 included that team championship and a top-10 individual finish, but also some difficulties.
“I felt like I was getting in trouble anywhere possible and I didn’t really know my swing,” she said. “But I felt like I had to go through that to get where I’m at now. Now I know what it’s like to struggle like that and come out of it stronger.”
Tapp did come out those struggles stronger, rebounding with a junior year that ended with her returning to the top of her division.
In October, she’ll try to join rare company by winning a third individual Finals title. Only 13 have accomplished the feat, and only six in Lower Peninsula competition.
Tapp figures to be a favorite again because she has gotten only better as her high school career has progressed, particularly with the driver.
“I have gotten a lot better off of the tee,” she said. “Driver was never really a strong suit of mine. I wasn’t sure which direction I was going to go. I’ve definitely improved that. Length and accuracy. I would say that’s helped me a lot because now I can reach par-5s in two a lot and have irons coming into those.”
South Lyon coach Dan Skatzka said that in addition to Tapp’s driving, her short game has also gotten better, which has complemented the mental fortitude she has always possessed.
This fall, Tapp broke the school record for a 9-hole score when she shot a 31, adding to her decorated career. Last season, she shot back-to-back rounds of 67 and 66 to twice break the school record for lowest 18-hole score.
“We’ve had a lot of great players at South Lyon,” Skatzka said. “About one-third of the seniors we’ve had here have gone on to play college golf. Gabby holds all the records. She basically has broken all the records.”
Tapp is still figuring out her college future, but she does want to play golf at the next level.
One thing is certain: After a great high school career, Tapp definitely can go somewhere in the game of golf.
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS (Top) South Lyon’s Gabriella Tapp blasts through a drive during last season’s LPD2 Final at Bedford Valley. (Middle) Tapp putts during her 2019 championship run at Forest Akers East. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)