Following the girls’ lead
Behind Jenna Peters and Logan Willis, Kohler takes home boys state title
alking across the range on the
first day of the Wisconsin Inter-
scholastic Athletic Association Boys High
School Golf Championship is when Jenna
Peters and Logan Willis began to notice
the looks.
smart player. A few years ago, she decided this is what she wanted to be. She
wanted to be one of the top players and
play in college.
“Logan is not a golfer by nature. She ac-
tually plays hockey 12 months out of the
year. Her strength really is her athleticism.
She can hit her irons as long as most of
the boys. And she plays with a hockey
mentality. If she had someone to check,
she would.”
At this year’s state tournament, Peters
and Willis played University Ridge in
Madison at 5,500 yards – the same length
that the girls play it at the fall state meet
and about 15 percent shorter than the
6,477 yards for boys.
“You really don’t hear any issues from
parents or coaches (about the distance)
until they’re successful,” Dirk Willis said.
“They’ll comment that they don’t think it’s
right, but it’s only when they’re successful
and start beating the boys.”
With the two girls leading the way,
Kohler entered the final round with a com-
fortable 17-stroke lead.
“I felt good, but I knew there was room
for mistakes,” said Logan Willis, who tied
for 14th individually with a two-day total
of 169 (81-88). “I fell apart a little bit on
the last three holes.”
The Blue Bombers held on to beat Cuba
City by 13 strokes and win the school’s
first WIAA Division 3 state golf title.
“During the front nine (of the final
round), I said, ‘Let’s just keep the pace
and make pars and birdies,” said Peters,
who finished sixth individually with a two-
day total of 163 (81-82). “On the last three
holes, I felt the nerves kicking in. When I
made my last putt, I thought, ‘All right, it’s
finally over.’”
And even though the team’s No. 1
player Peters has graduated and is off to
play at Butler in the fall, she likes Kohler’s
chances next year.
