Obviously Reeths-Puffer golf standouts Rowan Bluhm and Sophia McCollum both wanted to qualify for the state finals.
They are teammates and close friends, and would have been thrilled if they had both qualified so they could make the trip together.
Unfortunately it didn’t work out that way. In a bizarre and rather cruel twist, Bluhm and McCollum tied for sixth place in the individual standings at Tuesday’s Division 2 regional tournament at Cedar Chase Golf Course in Cedar Springs.
That meant they had to have a playoff against each other to determine which one would get the final spot at state.
McCollum, a sophomore, won the playoff and earned her first trip to the Division 2 state finals, which will be played at The Meadows at Grand Valley State University on Oct. 18-19.
Sophia McCollum, left, and Rowan Bluhm, who are close friends
Bluhm, a senior who was having the best season of her career but had never been to state, lost her final chance to qualify.
As R-P Coach Matt Pallett put it, “We got to see the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat today. For Rowan and Sophia to have to play against each other for the final individual qualifying spot was absolutely brutal.
“I was the toughest moment in my 29 years of coaching sports.”
Both players shot rounds of 85.
Bluhm’s round was highlighted by an eight-hole stretch where she shot even par, with a birdie on the sixth hole.
Bluhm, left, and McCollum won a lot of medals at the same events this season.
McCollum shot a three over par over the last 10 holes. On the final hole she made a great shot to place the ball about two feet away, then putted for a birdie to force the playoff.
That led to the unfortunate showdown between Bluhm and McClollum, a situation they both dreaded.
They returned to the 18th hole, a tough par 4, playing in a strong wind.
McCollum shot a five, Bluhm shot a six, and the issue was settled.
Coach Pallett was happy for McCollum, who has a great high school career ahead of her.
Sophia McCollum
“She is one of the better underclassmen in the state,” the coach said. “She had the best score of any sophomore today.”
Pallett was also very sad for Bluhm, who worked extremely hard to improve last summer, had a terrific senior season, earned a golf scholarship to Albion College – but never made the state finals.
“Rowan really came on this year,” Pallett said. “It put her in a position to make it to state, but unfortunately it wasn’t quite enough. Regionals is a brutal tournament. It’s a one-day event, and if you don’t have a good day you are out. It’s not that she didn’t have a good day, but there was very tough competition.
“Obviously Rowan was devastated. Sophia was sad too. I think her exact words were ‘this sucks.’ She knew how hard it was for Rowan. There were lots of tears all over the place.”
The odd regional format allows the top three teams in the tournament to qualify for state, as well as the top three individuals who are not on one of those teams.
Rowan Bluhm
As a team Reeths-Puffer shot a 379 score and finished fifth, 12 shots away from taking third place and making the cut.
Sophomore Olivia Ambler had the third best score for the Rockets with a 103. Sophomore Ella Voorhies shot a 106 and senior Emma Dvorak shot a 135.
In most seasons, regionals would be the end of the line for a team that didn’t make it to state, but due to a rainout, Bluhm, McCollum and the rest of the Rockets will get to play together one more time on Monday at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association Tournament at White Lake Golf Course.
Reeths-Puffer is the defending team champion, and Bluhm and McCollum will both be contenders for the individual title.