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DOWAGIAC — Junior Rebecca Guernsey and the Dowagiac girls golf team continue to make history in 2023.

After leading the Chieftains to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 3 State Golf Finals as a team for the first time in school history, helping Dowagiac place 12th, and finishing eighth as an individual, Guernsey was named Division III first-team All-State by the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association.

Guernsey is the first Dowagiac player to earn first-team all-state honors.

“Rebecca Guernsey is most definitely deserving,” said Dowagiac Coach Bob Turner. “She has worked and worked at her game. It is nothing for her to go back out on the course for another nine after we just had a 2 1/2-hour practice in which we played nine holes. Weather doesn’t matter either, she blocks it out, she adjusts for it but doesn’t let it bother her mentally. Last year when she played at state as an individual she was the only girl playing that wore shorts both days, and it was cold!”

Guernsey had quite a 2023 season.

She was the runner-up for medalist honors in the Lakeland-KVA Golf League as she finished with a stroke average of 40.44. Guernsey won a pair of medalist honors during the regular season — at Hawkshead Links in South Haven and at Heritage Glen Golf Club in Paw Paw.

Guernsey would also win medalist honors at the Lakeland-KVA Tournament as she shot 75 at Cheshire Hills in Allegan.

“This year She kept building confidence as the year went and then she broke 80 for the first time at Hawkshead in the invitational there shooting a 79 and winning medalist honors,

and then followed it up the next week with a 75 in the conference championship winning medalist again,” Turner said.

Guernsey helped Dowagiac to a runner-up finish at the Division 3 Regional at The Legacy at Hasting. She finished fourth overall with a round of 89.

After the opening day of the state tournament at The Meadows in Allendale, Guernsey was tied for third place after shooting a 76. She would shoot 83 on the second day.

“We couldn’t be happier and more proud of her,” Turner said. “Jason [Turner] and I stopped out to her house to give her and her parents the news face to face last Friday.

When we pulled in the driveway — you guessed it — she was hitting golf balls out in their yard. She has a love of the game and a desire to keep getting better. I can’t wait until next year.”

 

Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association

Division III First Team All-State

Zoe Dull, Spring Lake

Rebecca Guernsey, Dowagiac

Sanora Kochan, Goorich

Alivia Ligrow, Pickney

Emma McKinley, Ludington

Kelsey Preston, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

Averie Pumford, Freeland

Paige Radebach, Williamston

Saige Rothey, Lutheran North

Nicole Schafer, Williamston

Ashley Thomasma, South Christian

Ava Wisinski, Grand Rapid Catholic Central