After Kelly Grassel finished her final round Saturday at the IHSAA state golf finals, the Chesterton junior didn't stand around and wait for results.
"I just went to the putting green and started preparing myself for either losing by one or going to a playoff," Grassel said.
There was a third option -- and that one came to fruition. First-round leader Brooke Beegle of Hamilton Southeastern bogeyed two of her last three holes and Grassel became the first area girl to win medalist honors.
"It just feels amazing," said Grassel, who finished at 148 for a one-stroke win. "My mom (Mary) came over (to the putting green) and said, 'I think you won. I still wanted to wait until I saw it on the leaderboard. I (still) don't really believe this at all."
Grassel was just two shots off the lead at the Legends in Franklin after the opening round.
"I knew I definitely had a shot," said Grassel, who finished third last year. "A two-shot deficit in 36-hole stroke play is not much at all. I just kept a positive mindset."
Grassel bogeyed three of her first four holes, but rallied for birdies on Nos. 5, 10 and 13. She bogeyed 17 but made par on her final hole.
"It was a pleasant reality," Chesterton coach Dale Hewitt said of Grassel's win. "I really wouldn't call it a surprise.
"She just played her usual excellent golf. It was a general workmanlike effort."
The Trojans also made program history with their sixth-place finish (675). Junior Marissa Kroeger finished at 174, senior Stephanie Drake at 175 and junior Nicole Dutz shaved four strokes off her opening round and totaled 178.
"I think we played a little better yesterday," Hewitt said. "They just hung in there and played tough.
"We'll definitely have higher expectations next year – if we make it back."
Valparaiso sophomore Harley Dubsky once again made it into the top 10, finishing tied for ninth at 157. Last season, Dubsky finished six strokes lower and placed fifth.
Dubsky totaled four birdies in her final round, including three on the front nine. Unfortuanately for her, she played the final three holes at 5-over with consecutive double-bogeys on Nos. 17 and 18. She lost two shots in the No. 17 bunker. On 18, the wind caught her tee shot and sent it wide of the mark. She finished up two-putting on the green.
"I always like to think I could shoot better," Dubsky said. "It was a rough weekend for me."
"I can still find some positives. I was pretty happy with my driving."
Defending champion Hamilton Southeastern edged top-ranked Penn 644-646 for the team crown.
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