Kellenberg’s Ashley Harding wins CHSAA golf title
While its season ended with a team championship earlier in the week, the Kellenberg girls golf team has continued to dominate.
Ashley Harding won the CHSAA individual title on Wednesday, and joined three other Firebirds in the top four. Harding shot a 7-over 79 at Eisenhower White, beating out teammates Megan Schiesser (84), Nikki Dilluvio (87), and Emmah Federman (88).
St. Anthony’s Stephanie Browne (88) and St. John the Baptist’s Lauren Wagner (89) joined the four Kellenberg players in qualifying for the CHSAA state tournament scheduled for Monday at Silver Lake Golf Course on Staten Island.
“I felt so elated that I came this far and that everyone was there to share the moment with me,” Harding said. “We’re so close as a team, so I’m so glad that all our girls were able to do as well as they did.”
Harding said she felt early on that “this was going to be a good day,” and got the tournament started by making par on the first hole.
The sophomore added that Kellenberg’s upperclassmen, including Dilluvio and Schiesser, were integral to her development. “They helped me out so much, with my game, and helping me feel a part of the team. I couldn’t have done this without them.”
“She puts well, and she plays very quick,” coach Keith Doran said. “She doesn’t waste time on the tee.”
“She’s played so well, and what it’s doing is putting the league on notice,” Doran said. “Nikki (Dilluvio, the 2014 league champion and last year’s CHSAA state runner up) is graduating, but Ashley can take that spot. We’re graduating the seniors, but we’re showing who’s waiting in the wings.”
Kellenberg won its second consecutive regular season title and third in four years with a 4.5-0.5 win over St. Anthony’s on Monday, led by Dilluvio, who shot a 4-over 34 on the front nine at Cantiague, and was named league player of the year.
“We started a program in 2007 with one girl,” Doran said, “and now to have a team that dominated the league and the individual tournament, it’s a tribute to the girls.”