Montague’s girls golf team, along with Whitehall senior Karli Van Duinen, cleaned up on trophies and medals this season.
It’s only fitting that they’ve been recognized by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association.
All five regulars in the lineup for Montague’s team, which captured a second-straight Division 4 state title, and Whitehall’s VanDuinen earned all-state accolades via MIGCA.
Montague senior Orianna Bylsma received first-team all-state honors for a second-consecutive season. She was joined on the Division 4 first team by Wildcats sophomore Mackenzie Goudreau, who was honorable mention all-state last season.
Montague seniors Gabby Moreau and Claire Meacham, along with Wildcats junior Natalie Kellogg, were voted all-state honorable mention.
In Division 3, state runner-up VanDuinen earned first-team all-state accolades. It’s the third time in as many seasons that she’s been first-team all-state, getting the nod in Division 3 last season with Whitehall and in Division 2 as a freshman at Reeths-Puffer in 2018.
VanDuinen, who averaged around 75 per 18 holes this fall, had to sit out her sophomore season because of her transfer from Reeths-Puffer to Whitehall.
Whitehall co-coaches Greg Boughton and Bill Borgman believe that with VanDuinen’s runner-up finish in Division 3, she warranted a spot on the all-state Super Team. VanDuinen also was a three-time medalist in the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association tournament, as well as a regional medalist this season.
Reeths-Puffer sophomore Paige Anderson received Division 2 honorable mention all-state recognition this season.
“I couldn’t be more proud of these girls. It’s a tribute to all their hard work and it’s the reason we are state champions,” Montague coach Phil Kerr said. “We couldn’t have done it without every single girl and I’m thrilled they’ve been recognized accordingly.”
Bylsma averaged 84.0 per 18-hole round, followed by Goudreau at 84.6, Moreau 90.4, Meacham 90.6 and Kellogg 92.1.
Bylsma finished seventh and Moreau 10th individually in the Oct. 15-16 state finals at Michigan State University’s Forest Akers East. Montague and Lansing Catholic both shot 675 in the two-day event, but the Wildcats won on a fifth-score tie-breaker.
In addition to the recognition Montague’s golfers earned for their play on the course, they’ve illustrated that they take their academics seriously. The Wildcats have received academic all-state honors with a combined GPA of 3.8.
Bylsma, Moreau, Meacham and senior Isabelle McKeown received individual academic all-state recognition, which goes to players who carry a cumulative, unweighted GPA above 3.85 while competing in varsity golf.
“It shows how special this group was,” Kerr said. “Not just talented, but what they’re made of deep inside, which will carry them to greatness in their post-high school golf lives.”
RELATED: Complete 2021 girls golf all-state teams
