Taylor Snivelly, Haiya Fuji –

• Maya Fujisawa Kaeling of Carmel leads with four under and two strokes ahead of Noblesville’s Josie Kelly and Franklin’s Lexi Ray
• State champion Zionsville leads team rankings to Noblesville and Carmel
• Round 2 was set at Prairie View GC on Saturday

Carmel – The freshman is in a position to earn medalist honors at the IHSAA Girls Golf State Championship for the third consecutive year.

Carmel’s Maya Fujisawa Kaeling scored a ferocious 3-under 33 on the front nine at Prairie View Golf Course, maintaining momentum throughout the turn, cutting down several more strokes before posting his second bogey of the round on the par 4 17th. Fujisawa Kaeling recovered on par on No. 18, finishing with a 4-under 68, two strokes from Noblesville’s Josie Kelly and Franklin’s Lexi Ray, and two strokes from Zionsville’s sophomore Taylor Snylily, and the defending state champion.

Having claimed decisive victory in both sections and regional tournaments, Fujisawa Kaeling captivated with nine front nines on his home course, winning two birdies and an eagle to offset the bogeys in a par 4 fourth place. She came out of the turn with a 5-par and birdie to maintain a multi-stroke lead.

Fujisawa Kaeling leads the field with five par breakers.

Her efforts have Carmel, who is within a prominent distance defending state champion Zionsville in the team rankings. Greyhound posted +23. It came in third place behind Noblesville (+20) and the aforementioned Eagle (+17).

From the first day, we’ll be introducing a few other stories.

Course requirements: Companies

There was a consensus among the players I spoke to in Prairie View, playing on Fridays, a much harder Friday than the practice round, forcing players to adjust the tee shots and clubs they used.

Also, it’s very hot and the round looks like it’s forever, but it’s not really new.

The longest delay of 12

There was a bottleneck on the par 3 on the 12th, forcing the golfer to wait more than an hour before tee-off. The logjam was eased mid-round as course officials began marking the group green, allowing the foursome behind to tee off as well.

But it wasn’t great yet.

“Yeah, that was a bit cruel, but it was fine,” Ray said. “We just sat there and talked, and time has passed.”

Kelly also spent delays in conversations with his teammates. Everyone tried to loosen up each other and be ready. “When I woke up I took the practice swing and hit the ball. It was kind of thing.”

Snively explained how she felt she didn’t handle it well and struggled to maintain the right mindset when the wait was dragged over. “It’s a challenge that we all have to face,” she said. “And anything that the team can really stay focused and enter the mindset (thrives).”

“I just talked a lot,” Page Henney added, catching a snive guard (she laughed and doubled, tapping her teammates on the shoulder).

“I just talked to all my teammates, cheering on them all and trying to be loose,” Henny continued. “It was just trying to get my mind out of everything else, and with my teammates I was trying to keep it where it was needed.”

“We’re a little different,” Snally laughed.

Things were coming near (lexi)

Lexi Ray decided on Friday to maintain good attitude and soak in the final moments of high school golf.

Lexi Ray was tied up second on Friday, two strokes from the lead at 2 under.

pretty good.

“It was all going my way today,” said Franklin’s senior. “Obviously, I missed a Pat that I probably shouldn’t have, but I had a good day with the girl I was with. We were laughing and laughing the whole time. It was fun.”

Ray, who ranked 12th in the state last year, hasn’t played the course the way he’d wanted for the past three seasons, but Friday was different.

Everything finally came together.

The ball-state commit was confident, and the atmosphere was pure white when she arrived at Prairie View and after a solid show in range. “Now, let’s go low today,” she smiled.

“It was good to be able to do that, especially for my last year,” Ray said. “I wanted to play very well. I know I can do that, so it’s nice to finally see everything I was working for.”

Ray helped the Grizzly Cubs qualify as a team for the first time in 24 years in 2023, and again qualify last year (which finished fifth) and this season.

“It’s pretty amazing,” she said. Everyone on that team is my best friend. I’ll be pretty sad leaving them, but I’m also excited about the ball state. ”

Josie Kelly, Senior-led Millers on Special Saturday

The adrenaline was still pumped for Josie Kelly about 15 minutes after he left the green at No. 18. It’s always an interesting shot in the green. However, she hadn’t seen the rankings yet.

Kelly’s expression brightened quickly when she reviewed the leaderboard. “Yeah, people played well today,” she said.

“I feel pretty good where we’re sitting,” Kelly said. “So let’s see what tomorrow has. You can’t win the tournament on the first day, it’s two days.

Eastern Kentucky’s commit occasionally checks leaderboards during non-high school events, but during the season she gives the phone to the coach and is all-in to the Millers.

“It means so much to me, I don’t want to know (leaderboard). I just want to play my game,” Kelly said.

“I absolutely love the team. My teammates mean everything to me,” she continued. “I play for something bigger than myself. I play for them and my school. That means a lot.”

Kelly is one of four seniors competing for the state miller in the round that includes three birdies and an eagle. They grew up playing together and started challenging a special finish on Saturday.

“I can’t believe the season is coming soon,” Kelly smiled. “I’m proud of my playing this year. I’m very excited tomorrow.”

After two sections and regions, Ressie Lemmon makes his state debut

Reci Lemon’s hands were shaking as he stepped into the teebox in number one on Friday morning.

“Yeah, definitely nerves,” she admitted. But after Bosey No. 1, Mount Vernon freshmen breathed into making one hole at a time and told themselves to focus. Her tee shot in No. 2 had some residual nerves, but Lemon nailed her approach and settled from there. She scored two birdies in front, then overcome the struggle from the turn, finishing the round tied to sixth place in two overs.

“I went into a good ditch and started playing pretty well,” Lemon said. “I didn’t want to play too offensively – I only pulled the driver four or five times – and I think that was the road. It really worked.”

Lemon’s journey to the nation was perhaps the most unique for anyone in this field. She was the leader of the sectional clubhouse at 4 under, but resumed the entire round the next morning as the event was cancelled before half of the field finished.

“It was frustrating to me knowing I had a good round and it was just being erased and it wasn’t a problem anymore,” Lemon said. “But in the end I couldn’t control it. I knew I had to go back the next day and do the same thing.”

The course was played differently after all the rain, but that allowed Lemon to play more aggressively. She made 3 under cards with an ace and two birdies to claim the honor of the individual medalist (again).

Junior Stars Make History

Avery Lewis officially made Western Boone history on Friday, becoming the first girl golfer at a school competing in the state.

“It’s so exciting,” Junior said, laughing from ear to ear. She is tied 32nd in 10 over 82.

Lewis picked up golf after watching his sister play in high school, but at first he didn’t really like it. But somewhere in the eighth grade, I found that the multisport standout (basketball and softball) was obsessed with golf.

“I like individualism that knows it’s just me and the game,” said Lewis, who is hoping to play in college. “It was a challenge to realize that there was no one else to rely on at first, but I love it.

The state tournament presented its own challenges for Lewis, who hadn’t had a Prairie View before Tuesday’s round round. She and Coach Katie Pilkington narrowed it down to the location of the course that afternoon, determining the distance and establishing which clubs could be used for the hole, but there were some hurdles in the back nine (Nos. 1-9, she went out on No. 10).

“I didn’t even know where the fairway was heading for one of them,” Lewis laughed. “We’ll look outside, hit the driver and see what happens. It worked.”

Lewis has learned a lot and she continues, and understands the Round 2 course very well.

“It was fine today, but tomorrow will be even better,” she said.

2025 IHSAA GIRLS GOLF STATE FINALS Day 1 Results, Scores

First round, Prairie View Golf Club (Carmel), Par 72

Team Score:1. Zionsville – 305; 2. Noblesville – 308; 3. Carmel – 311; 4. Westfield – 318;5. Hamilton Southeastern – 329;6. Franklin – 331;7. Northridge – 336; T-8. South Bend St. Joseph, Batesville – 346; T-10. Carol (Four Wayne), Penn – 355;12. Lapel – 360; T-13. DeKalb, Floyd Central – 361;15. Lake Central – 370;16. Castle – 377;17. Bedford North Lawrence – 379;18. Barr-Reeve – 399.

Top 15:1. Maya Fujisawa Keuling (9), Carmel – 68; T2. Josie Kelly (12), Noblesville – 70; T2. Lexi Ray (12), Franklin Community – 70; 4. Taylor Snively (10), Zionsville – 71;5. Kennedy Gutierrez (9), Valparaiso – 72; T6. Ressie Lemmon (9), Mt. Vernon (Fortville) – 74; T6. Hannah Ingersoll (11), Munster – 74; T6. Ava South (12), Batesville – 74;9. Olivia Bailey (12), Rochester Community – 75; T10. Peyton Kauzlick (12), Noblesville – 76; T10. Piercey Dyer (11), Peru – 76; T10. Farrar Camp (9), Westfield – 76; T10. Alex Reschly (12), Northridge – 76;14. Isabella Stanley (11), Hamilton Southeastern – 77; T15. Kaidyn Wardlaw (12), New Albany – 78; T15. Avery Lewis (10), Zionsville – 78; T15. Page Henney (11), Zionsville – 78; T15. Olivia Patton (9), Zionsville – 78; T15. Laurent Dearing (11), New Palestine – 78; T15. Olivia Fowler (12), Noblesville – 78; T15. Macey Riegsecker (12), Northridge-78 T15. Charis Reed (9), Carmel – 78.

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