State Golf: John Glenn out to make its own history

NEW CONCORD — It has been a season for making history in the Muskingum Valley League.

Last week, Sheridan registered the highest finish in league history among girls teams at the Division II state tournament, taking third at Ohio State's Gray Course. Alongside, Crooksville junior Riley McKenzie finished 16th of 72 players to account for the highest individual finish among girls in Ceramic history.

Now it's John Glenn's turn.

Like the Generals, coach Rich Bubenchik's squad enters the Division I state tournament as a team for the first time in program history. And like Sheridan, the Muskies are also entering the event as a district champion.

The team consists of senior Gracie Milam and four underclassmen in juniors Elise Abrams and Carlie Ellsworth and sophomores Addy Burris and Abby McCullough. They have broken the school scoring record three times.

"I love this team," Bubenchik said. "Without a doubt the hardest-working team I've been around. I can't say it's my favorite team, because that's my first team, but these girls have a great attitude. They come to the course with their lunch pails and go to work."

It's a group led by the deadly accurate Milam, who has fought back trouble much of the season but has hit her stride in the last month.

Her 1-over-par 71 was third overall at the district at EagleSticks, two behind medalist Sydney Devore, of New Philadelphia, tied for the fourth-best qualifying score among individuals for the state event.

Milam, who also has a 3.97 GPA and a 32 on the ACT, said she isn't concerned about her individual standing. Her simplistic approach has led to plenty of success and she's not about to change because the stakes have been raised, she said. 

"I'm not a person who focuses on results, so I'm just going to do my best and whatever happens I am cool with," Milam said. "All that really matters is the shot right there."

John Glenn is the first school in league history to send its boys and girls teams to the state in the same season. The Village of New Concord had a send-off for them on Thursday.

"It's like something big for our little town to go up to state, little New Concord, Ohio, going up to face Columbus teams," Abrams said. "It's history."

Many of the girls on the team didn't pick up golf until middle school, when Bubenchik's high school program was still in the growth stages. Now they are arguably the best Division I program in the East District, one that only figures to get better with four players due to return next season.

They'd like to be the team that puts John Glenn on the map and pave another road for future teams.

"I feel like there are a lot more middle schoolers joining golf," Burris said. "The middle school team (in 2019) was (three of us). Now there is a whole middle school team."

Added Abrams: "The girls coming up from the younger grades, they're still going to get to play with some of us. They'll get to see what it's like to be a team."

It's the team mindset that has driven the team to success. Many played golf in some manner almost every day in the summer leading up to the season, with many playing in various tournaments on the First National Bank Tour in Eastern Ohio and Southern Ohio PGA events further away.

After missing the state by just four shots in 2020, they were determined to make the most of their second chance. Bubenchik said there is a collective competitive nature on this team that he hasn't had on previous teams.

"They are genuinely upset when they shoot a terrible score in their minds," Bubenchik said. "We won the sectional and they were all mad and you'd think we had lost it, because they were all so mad. They won by 20."

That determination will come in handy this weekend. 

Central District powers New Albany (294), the defending state champion, and Dublin Jerome (305), along with Southwest District champion Mason (305) are expected to duel for the team title. Between them, they have 10 players who broke 80 at their respective districts.

The Muskies' district score of 326 is eighth of 12 teams. In perspective, that would have been the No. 1 qualifying score in Division II by nine shots.

"I want them to understand that they're not going to go up there and place against two teams (with multiple players) that can shoot 70," Bubenchik said. "There are teams worse than us and there are teams better than us. We just need to play our game." 

The team hasn't played in a match since the district on Oct. 11, but they have spent considerable time in the days since sharpening their short games and playing various area courses.

Bubenchik feels the team's general skill set fits the nature of the par-70 Gray Course, which measures 5,311 yards and features only two par-5s, but requires quality iron play and deft putting for optimal success. 

They will tee off on No. 1 beginning at 9:50 a.m. today. Play resumes at 9 a.m. on Saturday, based on Day 1 finishes.

"I think we will do well for the first time there," Bubenchik said. "They don't have any illusions as far as what we are getting into. I want them to have the best experience of their life. I want them to have something they'll remember for the rest of their life."

sblackbu@gannett.com

740-450-6723

Twitter: @SamBlackburn