Zioonsville, Snively win again at IHSAA Girls Golf State Tournament

Zionsville capped a dominant run through the 54th Annual IHSAA Girls Golf State Tournament in historic fashion on Saturday as the Eagles won their third straight state championship – and junior Taylor Snively captured her third straight individual title.

The Eagles posted a score of 296 (+8) at Battle Ground G.C. for a two-round total of 589 (+13), shattering a State Finals record for 36-hole score. Evansville North held the previous record of 604 from 2013 at the Legends G.C. in Franklin.

The Eagles entered the second round with a 15-stroke lead after shooting a Finals-record 293 in Friday’s opening round, and finished with a 26-stroke victory over runner-up Carmel.

Zionsville coach Maggie Nobbe-Knecht pointed to her players’ determination as the Eagles’ driving force.

“They come off a record-breaking 18 holes (Friday) and they immediately know they left shots out there,” she said. “They’re constantly pushing themselves to be better.”

Snively shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday after opening with a 5-under 67. Her total of 138 and her opening 68 both rank No. 2 in Finals history.

“It means a lot,” Snively said of her individual three-peat. “I’ve worked really hard so it’s cool to see the hard work pay off and just accomplish some of my goals.”

Snively was the only player to finish under par. Mt. Vernon (Fortville) sophomore Ressie Lemmon was runner-up at even-par 144 (70-74).

Snively is the third player in state history to win three straight individual titles after Carmel’s Martha Foyer (1979, 1980, 1981) and Martinsville’s Leigh Anne Hardin (1997, 1998, 1999).

Zionsville joins Martinsville and Evansville North as the only schools to win three straight state team titles. Martinsville had a three-year reign in 1991-93 and a six-year reign in 1995-2000 and Evansville North won three in a row in 2014-16.

Zionsville's outstanding depth shined at the State Finals as three other Eagle players joined Snively in the top 12. Senior Paige Henney (73-76, 149) and sophomore Olivia Patton (77-72, 149) were parts of a five-way tie for fifth place and junior Avery Lewis (76-77, 153) was part of a three-way tie for 12th place.

“Every single one of our girls is so important for this group,” Nobbe-Knecht said. “They are so close and that’s what makes them better. They push each other, they support one another and I think that’s what makes the difference and it has led to our success the last few years. I’m very proud of them.”

The Eagles opened the state tournament trail with a tournament-record 266 in the Brownsburg Sectional at West Chase G.C. Snively sizzled with a tournament-record 59.

The State Finals provided a perfect bookend. It's a demanding 36-hole test after 18-hole tourneys for sectionals and regionals and the Eagles set more records.

“Honestly, the 36 holes, that is something we look forward to and we knew if we just went out and played our game, we could get that win,” Nobbe-Knecht said.

Battle Ground was a new state course. The Eagles’ 2024 and ’25 titles (along with their 2017 title) all came at Prairie View G.C. in Carmel.

“It’s a different test,” Snively said. “You have to take advantage of the par-5s and hopefully roll a couple putts in, that really will help you out here.”

Battle Ground played 5,645 yards and featured four par-5s, two each on the front and back sides. Snively averaged a crisp 4.1 on the par-5s over the two days. That helped lead to her 11 birdies, by far the most in the 112-player field.

Carmel sophomore Maya Fujisawa Keuling took third place for the second straight year and fellow Greyhound sophomore Kara Reid was fourth. They had scores of 145 and 148, respectively. Fujisawa Keuling led all players in Saturday’s round with a 2-under 70. 

The Eagles’ Henney and Patton were joined in the logjam for fifth place by Lake Central freshman Katelyn Benda, Lapel senior Annabelle Marshall and Valparaiso sophomore Kennedy Gutierrez. For Guttierez, it’s her second straight year of tying for fifth.

Westfield sophomore Farrah Camp rounded out the top 10, one shot back of the fifth-place group.

Team-wise, Carmel (615), Westfield (622), Hamilton Southeastern (637) and Castle (649) rounded out the top five.