Valparaiso freshman Harley Dubsky and Chesterton sophomore Kelly Grassel have been competing against one another all season.
Today, both will be part of the mix for the individual crown during the championship round of 38th annual IHSAA state girls golf finals at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin.
Dubsky sits in a second-place tie at 73, four shots off leader Natalie Schmett of Evansville North. Grassel is in a tie for seventh at 76. No region golfer has finished among the top two spots in the history of the event.
Dubsky, who teed off on No. 10, started off strong with birdies on the opening hole and No. 14 to earn a share of the lead. Double-bogeys on No. 16 and No. 9, her final hole, pushed her over par for the round.
"I was in some trouble today, and I just lost my ball once," said Dubsky, who went out of bounds on No. 9. "It was going to happen sooner or later. I just hope I got it out of the way."
Dubsky will play with Schmett for today's final round, and the freshman feels comfortable about her position.
"I'm glad that I'm not the leader," Dubsky said. "If Schmett plays well, that will push me to keep up with her. If she struggles, I'll just want to stick to my game."
Grassel, who also teed off on No. 10, matched Dubsky with a birdie on the opening hole. Grassel bogeyed Nos. 15-18 to finish 3-over-par on the front. She kept her cool to remain in the top 10.
"She tightened up on the back," Chesterton coach Dale Hewitt said of Grassel. "She kept the ball in play and stayed out of trouble -- business as usual for Kelly. Not much seems to phase her."
Grassel and her teammates came close to making the program's first trip to the second day. Chesterton remained among the top-nine qualifying spots for much of the round, but the team shot a combined 13-over on the last four holes to finish 11th (346), two strokes from advancement. With no seniors on the roster, Hewitt believes this gives his team motivation for next season.
"There are no heads hanging low," he said. "Next season it might not be a question. I think we could easily make it next year, but we're going to have to continue to work in the offseason."
Valparaiso also didn't advance as a team, tying for 13th (355).
Individual state qualifiers Mary-Katherine Slattery (Marquette), Sydney Bailey (South Central) and Kamryn Klawitter (Munster) also missed the cut. Slattery finished with an 85; Bailey had an 88, and Klawitter fired a 93.
This was Klawitter's second trip. She shot an 84 last season.
The Mustang senior struggled on her back nine with a 49.
"I just dug myself a hole on the front nine by not draining putts and missing some up and downs," Klawitter said. "That just caught up to me on the back nine.
"I'm just pleased to have made it here twice."
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