Girls golf team is after bigger things than on-the-greens success.
As the team scores were posted at the Division II girls golf sectional tournament at Darby Creek golf course, the Worthington Christian girls golf team felt like it was punched in the solar plexus. The Warriors shot a 402 to place fourth behind Centerburg (354), Heath (361), and North Union (397). Only the top three teams and the top three golfers not attached to a qualifying team advanced to the district tournament at the Links in Echo Springs.
Graduates Trina So and Sophie Burns were the two top scorers for Worthington Christian. So, who tied Centerburg’s Avery Glenn for first with a 76 at the sectional tournament, was the only Warrior to make it to the district tournament, while Burns finished seventh with an 84. As an individual competitor at the district tournament, So fired an 80 to tie Heath’s Reagan Kelly and Hebron Lakewood’s Lauren Griffith for fifth place, but didn’t advance to the state tournament.
“The sectional tournament was disappointing, especially for the seniors (Burns and Trina So),” said Worthington Christian coach Louis So, whose team qualified for the 2023 district tournament. “They wanted one last team experience together (at the district tournament). But the bond they built, win or lose, ultimately mattered most. They came together as a team, and that’s what we remember.”
The graduation of those two left a gaping hole in the line-up. Burns and Trina So were both first team all Central Buckeye League selections last season as the Warriors placed fourth in the league based on their performances in the three league competitions, finishing behind Columbus Academy (647), Columbus School for Girls (688), and Bexley (792). Burns is now competing for Olivet Nazarene University, while Trina So works with her father as an assistant coach.
“It’s a big loss. Trina and Sophie had been playing together since middle school, and they brought a steady presence through their maturity, leadership, and consistent play,” he said. “You don’t replace players like that. You build on what they left behind. Their example now sets the tone for our returning players to step up and lead.
“It’s different having Trina beside me as a coach, but in a good way. Instead of coaching her through the season, now she’s coaching alongside me. I know she’ll be a great mentor to our younger players.”
Now, it is up to a new group of players to rebuild that bond. The Warriors return two of their five sectional tournament participants in senior Milli DeVenne and sophomore Hoyeon Kang. DeVenne carded a 90 and tied Heath’s Bayleigh Carlin and Peyton Lawson for 10th at the sectional tournament while Kang (152) finished 46th. Sophomore Hyangjin Song, who fired a 154 to place 47th at the sectional tournament, decided not to play golf this year.
Just experiencing the sectional tournament for the first time was a big step for Kang, according to Coach So.
“That was a huge milestone when (Kang ) competed in the sectional tournament,” he said. “Golf is not easy to pick up quickly, but they stuck with it and pushed through. They showed a lot of grit.”
Coach So noticed considerable improvements in DeVenne and Kang’s games as they continued throughout the season.
“Milli brings experience. She hits long drives, and her short game continues to improve,” he said. “I hope she can finish her senior season strong and set more personal records.
“Hoyeon is a hard worker with high expectations. I hope she plays with more freedom this year, relaxes a little, and trusts the process.”
The Warriors also return junior Jillian Zollars, who was ill and didn’t play in the sectional tournament last year, and the addition of senior Annabelle Cisler, who is playing on the high school team for the first time, rounds out the roster.
“Jillian is very chill and has great potential, and I believe she’ll keep improving and enjoying the game,” Coach So said. “Annabelle played casually outside of school. From what I’ve seen in practice, she hits the ball well and will give the team an immediate boost.”
The Warriors will be challenged in the CBL’s always rugged terrain. Columbus Academy, which ran away with the Division II state title last year, is expected to return four out of its top five players from the state tournament, including junior Eva Lin, who finished first in the state with a two-day total of 143 and was the CBL’s player of the year.
Coach So said he’s not concerned about team scores, but the journey to getting those performances.
“I hope they continue building from where they left off—and remember to have fun,” he said. “Golf is about growth but also about enjoying the journey. Our biggest goal is for every girl to have fun and continue growing. We also hope to inspire younger students in our school to consider trying golf. It can be a fun and rewarding sport.
“If the girls have fun, build friendships, and support each other—that’s success. Wins are nice, but it’s the relationships and the growth that matter most. If we grow together and finish strong as a team, that’s a win in my book.”