PRAIRIE DU CHIEN – Their quest for a return trip to the WIAA State Golf Tournament began last Wednesday for the Lancaster girls golf team, who finished first at the Division 2 Prairie du Chien Regional with a team score of 361.

With four of their top five golfers finishing among the top seven in a field of 40, the Flying Arrows dominated the competition, finishing 30 strokes ahead of second-place Edgewood and 48 strokes ahead of third-place Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton.

The Arrows were led by senior sensation Brianna Kirsch, who earned medalist honors with a three-over-par round of 75 at the Prairie du Chien Country Club.

Kirsch began her round with a bogey on the par-4 first, followed by pars on holes two and three, and a birdie on the par-5 fourth.  She closed out the front nine with pars on holes five, six, seven and eight, and a bogey on the par-4 ninth to finish one over at 37.

Her back nine began with a par on the tenth hole, followed by a double on the par-3 11th. She went on to par the 12th and bogey the 13th. Her last five holes consisted of four pars and a birdie on the par-4 16th, closing out the back two over at 38.

As the only player to shoot in the 70’s, Kirsch finished 12 strokes ahead of SW/CC/B sophomore Brooklyn Bussan and Edgewood senior Jacklyn Thao, who finished tied for second with identical scores of 87.

Lancaster senior Evy Dhyanchand finished fifth at the regional meet with an 18-hole score of 92, finishing with a 46 on the front and a 46 on the back.

Senior Kate McWilliams and sophomore Lynell Miller finished tied for seventh with identical rounds of 97, McWilliams shooting a 46 on the front and Miller a 48 on the back.

Finishing tied for 32nd with a round of 133 was freshman Margot Dhyanchand, whose score was not used toward the team total.

Kirsch, McWilliams, Evy Dhyanchand and Miller were all members of last year’s regional championship squad that finished with a team score of 388 at Skyline Golf Course in Black River Falls.

The Arrows then went on to win the Prairie du Chien Sectional before finishing fifth at the state tournament 

Coach Brooke Marcue’s squad will next compete at the D2 Arcadia Sectional on Tuesday, Oct. 3, where the top two teams will advance to the State Tournament at University Ridge, along with the top three individuals who are not members of a qualifying team. The State Tournament will be held Oct. 9-10.