Kelly Grassel shoots personal low in blowout victory

DEMOTTE | Three Chesterton girls golfers leaned down on the first hole tee box firmly planting the base for a pyramid. Two others giggled as they nervously placed each knee on their teammates' backs careful not to dig into their spines during the team photo.

While the Trojans looked wobbly in their makeshift cheerleaders' pose, the entire team contributed support on the course Monday at Sandy Pines Golf Club, as each shot below 90 at the Kankakee Valley Invitational for a winning score of 316. Valparaiso (350) and Crown Point (373) rounded out the top three.

"You're going to win a lot of tournaments doing that," Chesterton Head Coach Dale Hewitt said. "It's a very solid team top to bottom. I could tell they were hitting the ball well and could tell by their demeanor it was going to be a good day."

Kelly Grassel was the peak of Chesterton's pyramid by firing a personal best 67.

"It was the first time I have ever shot under 70," Grassel said. "I had six birdies and one bogey. I was pretty consistent and didn't leave much on the golf course. It was kind of surreal."

Hewitt was surprised to learn Grassel hadn't scored below 70 previously.

"This is a breakout for her," Hewitt said. "She's always usually in the low 70s, but this was an awesome round. It's not just Kelly though, it's definitely a team effort."

Junior Nicole Dutz, who spent much of last year battling between the five and six spots, became the No. 4 golfer and tied for her team's second-best score, joining Marissa Kroeger with an 81.

"I felt like there was lots of pressure today because of how big these tournaments are, but it's very exciting," Dutz said. "We're going to have a really good season."

Though it was a career day for Grassel, she celebrated her teammates' accomplishments with big bear hugs and spirit finger handshakes.

"For them to do so well feels great and takes the pressure off," Grassel said. "I'm just happy for them to be reaching their personal goals."