Powles winds up 15th in Class A girls golf

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[As Hilary Powles walked off Hickory Ridge Golf Center's 18th green late Saturday afternoon, the Pope County senior took one last look back, then left an over-par weekend behind her.

Powles, who shot 14-over in Friday's first round of the girls' Class A state finals, didn't attain her goal of breaking 80 on Day Two - which would have assured her of earning a top 10 medal - and wound up 15th on the leader board with an 86-87-173.

It didn't take long for Powles, who competed this fall for Vienna's team as part of a co-op agreement, to determine where her 36-hole effort turned a bit sour.

"This weekend, my driver was my enemy," Powles said.

Beginning with a double-bogey on the first hole Friday, Powles didn't have a great deal break her way.

However, Saturday offered a chance for her to recover, and she did have several chances.

Only seven of the 99 golfers entered broke 40 on the front nine Saturday, and Powles stood at 45 on the turn.

She was able to par six of the back nine holes, and took bogeys on 10 and 13.

All which left Powles with a bad experience on the 338-yard, par-4 16th.

Powles' tee shot carried right and into the woods. She went into the trees for her second shot, but fanned on it. Shooting three, she popped her next shot next to the cart path.

Powles took a drop when offered to her, but the ball rolled backwards, forcing her to punch her next shot into the fairway.

By the time she was finished with the hole on a two-putt, Powles had to take an eight-shot quadruple-bogey.

"(On 16), I knew my drive had been flying to my right," Powles said. "I had been told going right on that hole was better than going to my left.

"My ball was up against a tree in the woods, and I was standing on roots.

"I probably should have taken an unplayable there, but I thought I could get it out," she added.

Still, Powles had her moments. But the two-time state qualifier said walking the length of the Hickory Ridge course, plus the humbling components of the two-day affair, got to her.

"The two-day effect is tiring," Powles said. "It's really three days, including walking the practice round on Thursday. This is really a long course with a lot of hills. I'm pretty sore, and I am ready for the Jacuzzi."

Driscoll's GiGi DiGrazia, last year's runnerup, was champion with a two-day, three-over 147. She won by five shots against Katie Jean of St. Thomas Moore.

Okawville's Shaina Rennegarbe and Rockford Lutheran's Cynthia Bounleutay finished third and fifth, respectively. Those two, along with DiGrazia, played in a foursome with Powles Friday.

Powles, the Anna-Jonesboro regional runnerup and the Black Diamond Conference and Carterville sectional champion, enjoyed playing with her Vienna co-op teammates.

Playing as an individual entry at Pope County often forced her to practice and participate on her own.

"It was a good experience for me this year," Powles said. "I am not disappointed in myself, and I know I probably could have done better. I haven't played in too many big tournaments like this, though."

Powles, who picked up golf her freshman year, is currently fielding offers from two junior colleges, John A. Logan and Rend Lake, as well as from the University of Evansville and University of Southern Indiana.

"But right now, I am ready for basketball," said Powles, who'll return to the Lady Pirates as one of the state's top Class 1A guards.