Friday at their annual end-of-season banquet, the Lady Marshals golf team celebrated their record-breaking and award-winning 2020 championship season.
The Lady Marshals won 10 of their 11 tournaments this season and took second in one. The team broke 300 four times – they shot 299 in both the Lexington Dunbar Lady Bulldogs Classic and the Marshall County Invitational, shot a school record 291 in The Joy of Golf Invitational in Anderson County and shot a record low 295 in the First Region Tournament.
As a team, their scoring average for the 2020 season was +17 which is 31.4 strokes better than the 2019 season.
Three players combined for 10 rounds under par this season – Savannah Howell (5 rounds), Trinity Beth (4 rounds) and Megan Hertter (1 round).
They won the First Region Tournament for a fourth consecutive year, this time by 47 strokes with all four scoring players taking the top four spots – Beth first and Howell, Hertter and Katie Roberts all tying for second.
They won the KGCA All-State Championship at the University Club of Kentucky by 32 strokes and the KHSAA State Championship by 39 strokes, just the second First Region team to win the state title. Their two-day score of 619 was the third best in the history of the tournament dating back to 1965.
Trinity Beth was selected Kentucky’s Miss Golf, the first ever girls player from Marshall County to receive the honor.
All players will return for the 2021 season setting up an opportunity to repeat as state champions.
2020 Individual Awards/Recognitions
Coach Aaron Beth
• KGCA (Kentucky Golf Coaches association) Girls State Coach of the Year
Savannah Howell (junior)
• Savannah had a scoring average of 73.8, which is 1.4 strokes lower than last year.
• She won the Hopkinsville Invitational (69)
• Finished in the top three (5 times)
• Finished third at the All State Tournament in Lexington
• Finished fifth at the KHSAA State Championship in Bowling Green
• Was named to the KGCA All 1st Region Team
• Earned 1st Team All State honors for the second straight year (finishing third in all state points)
• Has committed to play her college golf at Western Kentucky University
Megan Hertter (junior)
• Megan had a scoring average of 75.1, which is three strokes better than last year.
• Finished in the top five (5 times)
• Finished eighth at the All State Tournament in Lexington
• Finished 16th at the KHSAA State Championship in Bowling Green
• Was named to the KGCA All 1st Region Team
• Earned 2nd Team All State honors (finishing 15th in all state points)
Elsie Riley (sophomore)
• Elsie had a scoring average of 86.3, which is 10.3 strokes better than last year.
• Broke 80 (79) for the first time in the second tournament of the season at Hopkinsville, then followed that up with a new career low of 74 at the Shelby County Lady Rocket Invitational and a top 10 finish (7th).
• She was one of the top four scores on the first day at the All State Tournament, contributing to the team victory.
• Coach Beth said Elsie is always competing and working to get better, and is very coachable and he expects her to continue to get better and compete for one of the top five spots again next year.
Sarah Umbarger (freshman)
• Sarah had a scoring average of 87.5 (4 rounds), which is 8.8 stroked better than last season. If Sarah works hard in the off season Coach Beth expects her to have a chance to challenge for one of the five top spots for next season.
Katie Roberts (8th grade)
• Katie had a scoring average of 83.5, which is 11 strokes better than last season. She really improved and was more comfortable as the season progressed.
• She was one of the top four scores on the second day at the All State Tournament.
• She broke 80 for the first time at the Dunbar Lady Bulldog Classic, shooting 76. She would shoot in the 70’s three more times, including a career low 74 (tying her for 2nd) at the Regional Tournament, and a 78 on the final day of the KHSAA State Championship helping to solidify the team’s state title.
• Coach Beth said Katie worked very hard in the off season last year and if she continues that same work ethic this off season he expects to see great scores from her next year.
Trinity Beth (7th grade)
• Trinity’s consistency and competitiveness throughout the year is what Coach Beth was most impressed with and proud of. She scored between 69-75 for all 12 rounds she played, averaging under par for the year at 71.6.
• She won three tournaments this season – (her first ever high school tournament) the Glasgow Lady Scottie Invitational (69), Shelby County Lady Rocket Invitational (69), 1st Region Tournament (73).
• Finished second (4 times)
• Finished second at the All State Tournament in Lexington
• Finished fourth at the KHSAA State Championship in Bowling Green
• Named to the KGCA All 1st Region Team
• Earned 1st Team All State honors
• Earned the title of Kentucky’s Miss Golf for the 2020 golf season (1st ever Miss Golf from Marshall County)
• Coach Beth said he has been able to see her grow and develop both on and off the course over the past eight years. Trinity loves to play and she works hard at getting better. “I couldn’t be more proud of her as her dad and her coach”, Coach Beth said.
