Sarah Lydic wins 2021 Delaware State Championship
June 4, 2021
Sarah Lydic, 2021 State Champion
Congratulations to Sarah Lydic of Sussex Academy for her triumph in the 2021 DIAA State Championship, held at Maple Dale Country Club in Dover June 1-2.
Playing in her first-ever state tournament, the ninth grader shot a one-under par 70-73 total for the 36-hole contest on the par 72 course. She entered the second round tied for first place with Tower Hill’s Avery McCrery. She kept her spot through the finish, while McCrery fell back to fifth place.
Lydic said in a post-tournament interview that she didn’t think about winning as much as just wanting to play well. “If I did that there was a chance to win,” she said. “My putting was helpful, but my chipping was not so great. I worked out what was wrong with my putting before the championship, and it worked.”
Her teammates dunked the new champion immediately with large cups filled with cold water after Lydic finished her last hole, followed by a series of hugs. Lydic said she could not have won without the help of her family, teammates, coaches, and supporters.
Sussex Academy finished in third place in the team competition, only a few strokes behind winners Tower Hill and second place Tatnall School. Fellow Seahawk and sister Hannah Lydic earned a sixth-place individual medal, while Sawyer Brockstedt earned her medal for eighth place. Adison Browne contributed the team’s required fourth score in the first round but did not make the cut for the second round, where three team scores were required.
Academy head coach Tim Whelan said with a broad grin, “That was so cool. What a day. Good for her.”
The Cape Henlopen High School team had three golfers in the first round and two in the second.
Ethan Mercer struggled with all facets of his game and missed the cut. “It was a really disappointing round. It was so bad. But I’ll be ready next year.”
Senior and Viking captain Quinn McCullough’s 92 in the first round cleared the cut line, but a bad fever and other aches did not help his second-round performance. “I had a 103 temperature, but I wanted to finish playing my last round for Cape,” he said. “I just had bad shots, but I liked the people I played with.”
Tom Burn matched McCullough’s scores on both days, and said he was “just tired” during the second round of 18 holes in two days. “I had never done that. I also had a lot of trouble with the bunkers today.” The pair finished in a tie for 57th.
Cape head coach Rob Harrod said, “I’m pleased with how our season ended, and happy with how the team progressed during the season. I hate to lose our captain, Quinn. We’re already planning for next year based on what we saw this time.”
A fine bit of sportsmanship
Sometimes a disqualification can be a good thing, as happened in the 2021 DIAA State Championship June 1.
Ninth grader Joey Chrissman of Caesar Rodney signed his card after the first round and was in a good spot to make the cut and help his team. Not long after it was accepted, however, he contacted Caesar Rodney head coach Jack Dixon. They agreed Chrissman scored a 6 on the ninth hole, not the 5 that went on his card.
They immediately contacted tournament officials and let them know what happened. That led to Chrissman’s automatic disqualification for signing an incorrect scorecard.
Delaware State Golf Association Executive Director Laura Heien applauded the sportsmanship displayed by Crissman and Coach Dixon. “It was an unfortunate mistake, but a good lesson learned,” she said.
During the next day’s post-tournament award ceremony, Tower Hill coach Kathy Franklin told the assembled crowd the story. The group erupted into applause – which was also the right thing to do.
Local club competition results
The Rehoboth Beach Ladies 18-hole group played a team Better Ball game June 2, with Pauline Porter, Dale Lipnick, Sally Fogarty, and Bailey Scheurer winning first place gross.
Two teams tied for first place net: Peggy Roca, Pris DeSena, JoJo Barrows, and Tina Brinsfield, along with Kerry Lockwood, Julie Burton, Lisa Krausz, and blind draw Dale Lipnick.
The Mulligan’s Pointe Ladies 18-hole group played a Tee to Green game June 1.
Thirty-nine golfers played in the Kings Creek Country Club 18-hole ladies team game May 27, in a 1 better ball of four format.
Peggy Claussen won first place in Division A, with Barbara Kulbaba in second and Maxine Ansbach in third. Susan Shockley won the Division B bracket, with Kathy Hudak in second and Nancy Mawhinney in third.
The Rehoboth Beach CC Ladies 9-hole group played an Opening Day Step-Aside Scramble June 1, where the player whose shot is selected does not play the next stroke until reaching the green.
Joan O’Toole, Mary Enzler, and Jenn Barrows won first place net, with Jane Humphries, Julia Derrick, Lynn Kokjohn, and Lynn Runsten in second.
Philomena Colucci, Barbara Hines, Megan Dupre, and Anne Farley won first place. Donna Deely, Sara Cavendish, Debbie Grant, and Margie Moore took second place on a match of cards against third place finishers Katie Heintz, Marsha McLaurin, Carolyn Ortwein, and blind draw Megan Dupre.
The Kings Creek CC Ladies 9-hole group played a Team Cha Cha game June 1, where one best ball is used for the odd-numbered holes and two best ball scores are used for the even-numbered holes.
Carolyn Horn, Deb Chase, and Sandy Fit won first place, with Rosemarie Schmidt, Trish Galioto, and Noreen Buzerak in second. Tina Brown, Jackie Maddalena, and Fran Sneider finished third.