Savannah Arts Academy Girls Golf Team

SAA Girls Golf Team congratulates our senior Rachel Wohn and junior Alivia Rukmana for being selected for 2018 All Greater Savannah Girls Golf First Team and sophomore Emily Daly for making the Honorable Mention from Savannah Morning News. Great job girls!!!

2018 ALL-GREATER SAVANNAH GIRLS GOLF TEAM:

RIN RICHARDSON, St.Vincent’s, senior (Player of the Year)
All-Greater Savannah first-team selection in 2017, 2016, 2015.
CHLOE BROWN, Savannah Country Day, freshman
BAILEY DAVIS, Richmond Hill, junior
All-Greater Savannah second team in 2017 and 2016.
EMMA SAUNDERS, St. Vincent’s, sophomore
All-Greater Savannah first team in 2017.
TRICIA REISMAN, St. Vincent’s, senior
All-Greater Savannah first team in 2017, second team in 2016.
ALIVIA RUKMANA, Savannah Arts, junior
All-Greater Savannah first team in 2017 and 2016.
GRACIE WHITLEY, Effingham County, junior
All-Greater Savannah first team in 2017.
RACHEL WOHN, Savannah Arts, senior
Savannah Morning News Girls Golfer of the Year in 2017 and 2016, also first team in 2015.

HONORABLE MENTION:

Calvary Day – Lauren Rowe
Richmond Hill – Morgan Dennis-Jones, Astasia Stedman
Savannah Arts – Emily Daly
Savannah Christian – Teagan Fisher, Kate Minnis

Savannah Arts Academy Girls Golf Team wishes Happy Mother's Day! Thank you to all our moms who provide love and support unconditionally to our girls.

Lady Panthers played Class AAA Area 2 Championship Match today at the challenging GSU Golf Course, SAA grinded out a Third Place finish, and hence qualified for the State Tournament in May. Congratulations to our girls who worked so hard this season to stay competitive among many good teams in the area.
This means for the first time in SAA history, girls golf team member(s) qualified for the State Tournament for 3 straight years. Great job girls!!!
Also, kudos to our senior Rachel for making the All-Area Team for the 4th straight years, despite her self-confessed "over indulgences of fun" at the Senior Bash trip to Florida and hardly getting any sleep for 3 nites! :)
Class AAA State Championship will be held May 21st and May 22nd at Cateechee Golf Club in Hartwell, Georgia.

Lady Panthers wrapped up their last regular season match on a high note defeating Savannah Christian Prep School at the Southbridge Golf Club. Both Emily and Catherine shot their personal best for 18 holes in their young high school golf career. Junior Panther Alivia had a fine round of shooting in low 80's despite being sick for most part of this week. This was also the last regular season match for our senior Rachel. She finished it in style by shooting a 78 and winning the medalist honor. Good job ladies!! SAA Girls Golf Team will take a deserving day off and will resume practice on Saturday. Their next tournament is on the 30th of April for the GHSA Class AAA Area II at the Georgia Southern University Golf Course. GO PANTHERS!!!

It looks like a couple of new season team shirts are ready to go. 2018 season team photo shoot is tentatively scheduled for next week.. Looking forward to seeing the team photos and sharing them here.

Lady Panthers suffered one of the worst defeats in its history at the Bacon Park yesterday against St Vincent Academy and Richmond Hill High. SAA lost by 71 strokes to SVA and 44 strokes behind RHH. It was one of those days when many things went wrong. Even our usually steady and reliable senior Rachel stated she had the worst match of her SAA career. "My short game was absolutely atrocious throughout the match. I must have wasted at least 13 to 14 strokes just on chipping and putting. I tried to make adjustment all through the round but just couldn't find a comfortable set-up for some reason. I'm really disappointed for such poor performance. Hopefully we can rebound and learn from our mistakes and be better prepared for the next match." Coach Sanders stated "..... I am well aware girls have a lot on their plates this time of the school year, and things are somewhat overwhelming for them. But they need to clear their heads before stepping onto the golf course and play with free mind."

On a more happy note, new team shirts for 2018 season have arrived and getting embroidered. Big thanks to Ms Sabrina Wohn for sponsoring team shirts again this season.

Panthers next match will be at the Soutbridge Golf Club on April 26th against Savannah Christian Prep School.

As we enter into mid April, 9-holes matches are completed and more challenging 18-holes matches will begin. Here is a revised schedule for remainder of the season. GO PANTHERS!

April 17th (18 holes) v. Richmond Hill High and St Vincent Academy at Bacon Park

April 26th (18 holes) v. Calvary Day School and Savannah Christian Prep School at Southbridge Golf Club

April 28th (18 holes) Area Tournament Practice Round at Georgia Southern University Golf Course

April 30th (18 holes) Area 2 Championship Tournament at Georgia Southern University Golf Course

May 21st and May 22nd (36 holes) Class III State Championship Tournament at Cateechee Golf Club in Hartwell, Georgia

SAA Girls Golf Team traveled out to Statesboro and played a match at tough Georgia Southern University Golf Course. Lady Panthers finished second after perennial contender Pierce County High. It was a good experience for the girls playing on a course befitting a Div I collegiate golf team. It was also great to have coach Merkert back from his medical leave. His calming presence and words of encouragement and support were solely missed during the City Championship Match last week.

SAA Girls Golf Team played the City High School Championship today at the historic Bacon Park Golf Course. Girls played well but just missed out on play-off holes by ONE stroke. That regrettably ends the Panther's run of City Championship Title for last two years. Culprit for this match appears to be the 6th hole, also known as the "Blind Tom." Both Rachel and Alivia shot a double bogey on the 6th hole, which is rather unusual for them. Both girls' career average score for this particular hole is less than 4.3, but that's how this game of golf keeps you humble. In any event, girls enjoyed the experience and represented the school well. Congratulations to Savannah Country Day for winning the title after two play-off holes. We are also sending out well wishes to coach Merkert who has been at Candler Hospital for observation. Hope it's nothing serious and you'll feel better soon!

SAA had a match down at tough Oakridge Golf Course at the Landings today. Girls played well but not enough to beat talented St Vincent Academy team. Led by their senior Rin Richardson, SVA is a formidable squad and SAA will need to bring their "A" game to take them on this season. Coach Sanders wants the girls to continue to work on their short game, especially putting, in order to compete with SVA at the City Championship next month.

A tough match day at the Bacon Park today. It was unseasonably chilly and windy all afternoon. SAA girls were somewhat rusty with their short game from not playing any tournament since Feb 22nd. On the other hand, St Vincent Academy team came ready to play and easily won by 8 strokes. SAA girls will try to regroup and fine-tune their game before taking on SVA next week. GO PANTHERS!

Alivia made a good effort to drain this 8 foot putt.

Emily does a good job pitching this shot on the green.

Alivia hits this drive right down the middle

Emily makes a good swing on her approach shot here.

Rachel trying hard to control this delicate chip

Alivia looks determined to hit the green

SAA Girls Golf Team had its first tournament of the season at the Sterling Links this afternoon. Girls are off to a good start by besting Richmond Hill High and Savannah Christian Prep School. Great job girls and kudos to our Emily Daly for getting her very first BIRDIE in a tournament!!

Coach Sanders says girls are practicing well for past two weeks, and the team is shaping up nicely for this season!

Our young Emily is too shy to look straight at the camera. :)

Rachel and Alivia are relaxed and enjoying this practice session

Emily follows through after launching her tee shot!

These girls are practicing hard and showing a lot of potential

Here is 2018 Spring Tournament Schedule for SAA Girls Golf Team:

2/22 (Thurs) vs. Richmond Hill High at the Sterling Links 3pm

3/6 (Tues) vs. Richmond Hill High/Claxton High at Bacon Park 3:30pm

3/8 (Thurs) vs St Vincent Academy at Bacon Park 3:30pm

3/13 (Tues) vs St Vincent Academy/Savannah Christian Prep School at the Landings 3:30pm

3/19 (Mon) vs Claxton High at TBD 3pm

3/22 (Thurs) vs Richmond Hill High at the Sterling Links 3pm

4/3 (Tues) SAVANNAH CITY HIGH SCHOOL GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
at Bacon Park 2:30pm

4/10 (Tues) vs St Vincent Academy at the Landings 3:30pm

4/11 (Wed) vs Southeast Bulloch High at Georgia Southern University 2:30pm

4/17 (Tues) vs Richmond Hill High/St Vincent Academy at
Bacon Park 2:30pm

4/22 (Sun) Area Tournament Practice at Georgia Southern University TBD

4/30 (Mon) Area Tournament at Georgia Southern University TBD

5/21 + 5/22 (Mon, Tues) GHSA AAA State Championship (w/ qualification)
at Cateechee Golf Club, Hartwell, GA. TBD

Here's our Emily Daly (So) testing out her new wedge.

These young freshmen girls are trying to make the team and will make good additions to our squad.

Rachel and Emily are looking forward to an even better 2018 season.