Indiana High School Athletic Association, Inc.

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

September 30, 2006

 

BREBEUF RALLIES FROM SIXTH TO WIN, WARSAW’S JOHNSON MEDALIST AGAIN

Brebeuf Jesuit charged back from 25 strokes down to claim its first state championship and Warsaw senior Emily Johnson won her second individual crown in the 34th Annual IHSAA Girls Golf State Finals at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin on Saturday.  Brebeuf (647) edged Hamilton Southeastern (650), Martinsville (653), and Noblesville (654) for the team title, while Johnson earned medalist honors (144) by two strokes over Aimee Neff of Brebeuf (76-70-146) and junior Jordan Woods of Brownsburg (72-74-146).

 

Brebeuf began second round play in sixth place, 25 shots behind day one leader Martinsville.  Coach Kim Davis’ Braves matched the fourth-best team score in state finals history with a 313 to rally to victory.  Brebeuf’s 36-hole total of 647 ranks ninth on the all-time list.

 

Senior Mental Attitude Award recipient Aimee Neff paced the Braves with a two-under par 70 in the final round, helping her to a tie for second overall.  Freshman Sophie Hayashi tied for 12th overall with 75-81-156, junior Morgan Anderson fired a 79 in the final round to tie for 35th overall at 173, junior Megan Tuohy had 89-88-177, and junior Kate O’Connor came through with an 83 on Saturday for a 179 total.

 

The race for the team title was a four-team affair between champion Brebeuf, Hamilton Southeastern, Martinsville, and Noblesville.  Martinsville, a nine-time state champion, began the final round with an 11-stroke edge over Noblesville.  The Artesians’ double-digit advantage began to dissipate on the back nine as their final-day playing partners from Hamilton Southeastern and Noblesville chipped away.  Brebeuf was in fourth place until the final computer scoring update, when the Braves emerged victorious.

 

In the individual medalist race, Johnson became the seventh player in state history to win two state titles.  The 2003 champion joined Martha Foyer of Carmel (1979, 1980, 1981), Castle’s Suzanne Noblett (1982, 1984), Martinsville’s Jennifer Gray (1992, 1993), Kathryn Wilkinson of South Bend Clay (1995, 1996), Leigh Anne Hardin of Martinsville (1997, 1998, 1999), and North Decatur’s Angela Gauck (2004, 2005) in that exclusive club.

 

Johnson was tied for the lead with Woods heading into the final round after they both shot even-par 72’s on Friday.  Johnson came back with another 72 on Saturday to finish with an even-par 144, two strokes ahead of both Woods and Neff.  Johnson’s 36-hole total of 144 is tied for sixth all-time.

 

Team Standings

1. Brebeuf Jesuit

334-313-647

2. Hamilton Southeastern

326-324-650

3. Martinsville

309-344-653

4. Noblesville

320-334-654

5. Brownsburg

330-346-676

6. Valparaiso

344-335-679

7. Roncalli

337-347-684

8. Kokomo

331-363-694

9. Northwestern

343-355-698

10. Greensburg

344-362-706

 

Individual Standings

1. Emily Johnson, 12, Warsaw

72-72-144

T2. Aimee Neff, 12, Brebeuf Jesuit

76-70-146

T2. Jordan Woods, 11, Brownsburg

72-74-146

T4. Terra Miller, 12, Crown Point

73-77-150

T4. Breanna Patz, 10, Avon

75-75-150

T4. Maggie Wood, 12, Boonville

73-77-150

7. Raquel Hopton, 12, Valparaiso

80-71-151

T8. Audrey Fellmeth, 12, Roncalli

74-79-153

T8. Kelly Short, 11, Yorktown

75-78-153

10. Ellen Mueller, 12, Evansville Memorial

76-78-154

 

 

BREBEUF JESUIT’S AIMEE NEFF NAMED MENTAL ATTITUDE WINNER

 

Brebeuf Jesuit standout Aimee Neff was named winner of the 2006 Mental Attitude Award for Girls Golf after leading her team to its’ first state championship.  Neff tied for second individually with a 76-70-146 total, shooting the best round by any player on Saturday with a two-under par effort to help her team climb from sixth place and 25 strokes down after Friday.  The four-time All-Marion County selection finished her senior campaign at 13-under-par for the season, bringing the lowest scoring average in the state into the IHSAA Finals.

 

Over this past summer, Neff became the second player ever from Indiana to win an American Junior Golf Association tournament.  She was the youngest player to advance from the first qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Open in Chicago.  Neff also competed in the Future Collegiates World Tour, where she had a top-10 finish in the National Championship, earning Central Region “Player of the Year” and first-team All-American accolades.

 

Neff is a “Chief’s Award” winner at Brebeuf—the school’s highest honor for a student-athlete.  She also played on the Braves’ 2004 IHSAA Class 3A state championship basketball team as a freshman.  Neff became the fifth player from that state championship team to receive the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award, joining Amber Jackson (basketball), Sarah Kish (volleyball), Natalie Mullikin (volleyball), and Geneva Trotter (track and field).

 

“Aimee is one of the most outstanding student-athletes to ever attend Brebeuf Jesuit,” said school principal Dr. Matthew J. Hayes.  “Equally impressive as her athletic record is the reputation she has earned for having exemplary sportsmanship.”

 

Academically, Neff maintains a 3.64 cumulative GPA, earning high honor roll recognition every semester. She will attend Michigan State on a full golf scholarship, studying fitness science and sports marketing.

 

Members of the IHSAA Executive Committee present the award to the outstanding senior participant during the state finals each year. The recipient of the award, who was nominated by her principal and coach, must excel in mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in girls golf.

 

Neff was instrumental in bringing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to Brebeuf.  She has served as leader of the school’s FCA group since its inception.  She is active in the College Park church, serving a key role in showing the “Invisible Children” documentary to the College Park congregation.

 

She also volunteers in the North Willow Care Center, spending time with those with special disabilities.  She is the center’s Special Olympics softball coach.

 

Neff is the daughter of Brett and Betsy Neff.

 

Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the IHSAA’s corporate partner, presented a scholarship check for $1,000.00 Brebeuf Jesuit High School in the name of Aimee Neff.  Since 1989, more than $551,000 in college scholarships has been presented by Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance to deserving high school students in Indiana.

 

VSN MEANS ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY

Visit our friends at Visual Sports Network, the IHSAA’s official photographer for all state championship events and one of the leading action photographers in the Midwest. VSN, which was on site both days, has captured thousands of images from this year’s Girls Golf State Finals and will have them ready for viewing and purchase beginning Monday, Oct. 2.

 

STATE FINALS PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

Couldn’t be at The Legends of Indiana for the state finals? You can still purchase a copy of the official souvenir program while supplies last! Programs are $3.00 if you purchase in person at the IHSAA Office (9150 N. Meridian Street in Indianapolis) or $5.00 by mail (postage included). To order, have your Visa or MasterCard ready and call us at 317-846-6601 during business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. EST).