SF's Slocum 9th at golf state finals

Oct. 16—EAST LANSING — Freshman Grace Slocum sits just a few strokes away from the top three in the Division 4 girls golf state finals.

The Traverse City St. Francis star shot an 81 to finish the opening round at Forest Akers East on Michigan State University's campus, four shots out of third place. She's currently tied for ninth, with four golfers tied for fifth after 80s.

Michigan Center senior Kamryn Shannon leads the field with a 70, followed by Ann Arbor Greenhills' Mia Melendez at 72. Lansing Catholic's Sailor Somerville holds down third with a 77.

The Gladiators are 13th as a team with a team total of 408. Lansing Catholic leads with a 335.

The Glads' other counters are junior Emily Jozwiak (100, 58th), senior Magdalen Kleinrichert (108, 79th) and sophomore Mary Kate Carroll (119).

Manistee sophomore Kendal Waligorski shot a 96 to stand at 50th place, while East Jordan junior Sami Burke carded a 107 for 77th.

DIVISION 1 at GVSU

Grace Maitland's 85 led Traverse City Central to an 11th-place finish after the first day of the Division 1 finals at The Meadows on the campus of Grand Valley State University.

"Grace played really well," Central head coach Lois McManus said. "She had a couple bad holes, but she turned it around."

Maitland sits in 35th place individually.

All five Trojan golfers carded scores under 100, with Sydney Rademacher shooting 91, McKenzie McManus 93, Addi Balentine 98 and Evelyn Nowicki 99.

TC West's Ainslee Hewitt carded an 87, good for 41st place. TC Central assistant coach Deb Kehoe took over as West's coach for Hewitt when the Titans' head coach couldn't make the trip because of a knee problem that will require surgery.

The round started an hour late because of a fog delay. Play resumes Saturday at 10 a.m.

Northville leads the team standings with a 307, eight shots in front of Plymouth.

DIVISION 2 at Battle Creek

Petoskey finished a rain-shortened opening round 12 shots outside the top 10 in Division 3 at Bedford Valley in Battle Creek.

Most golfers were several holes from finishing their rounds when play halted because of deteriorating course conditions caused by heavy rain.

All four Petoskey counters shot under 90, led by sophomore Marley Spence's 73, good for 14th overall. Laura Pawlick shot 82 (48th), and Aubrey Williams and Sarah Hasse each carded 88s to tie for 69th place.

South Lyon paces the teams with a 298. Dearborn Divine Child is three strokes behind.

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