The 45th Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Girls State Golf Championships took place on Monday October 10th, and Tuesday October 11th at the University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wisconsin.

The teams participating in the State Championship for Division 1 were as follows: Arrowhead, Brookfield Central, De Pere, Homestead, Kettle Moraine, Middleton, Milton, Notre Dame de la Baie Ac., Onalaska, Oregon, Stevens Point, and Union Grove.

Each state team is comprised of five athletes.

The Division 1 field consisted of the top two teams from each of the six sectionals. Arrowhead was in the Hartford Union Sectional. They played a qualifying round for the State Championship at the Hartford Golf Club.

Arrowhead placed first at regionals with a total score of 309. This score is comprised of all the strokes made by the five person team. The team who placed second was Kettle Moraine with a total score of 347.

The Arrowhead team was comprised of seniors Alexa Holland and Mattie Kujawski, juniors Sarah Ernst and Gianna Gastrow, and sophomore Emily Lauterbach. The coaches are Mike Breaker, Ryan Andrews, and Matt Luebke.

Athletes played a total of 36 holes playing 18 each day.

University Ridge Golf Course is a par 72. After the first day, Arrowhead had a score of 308, 20 over par. This was the lowest 18-hole total in state history.  This landed them in first trailed by Middleton with a score of 334, 46 over par. This was the largest lead after Round 1 in Wisconsin Girls Golf history of 26 strokes.

Arrowhead senior Alexa Holland said, “This was my fourth year at the State Championship. Having done this a couple times helped me relax and I wasn’t so nervous. It was still stressful because we wanted to do the best we could but the big lead definitely calmed us down.”

Holland’s experience showed as she finished fifth overall after day one with a score of 75, three over par. After Round 2 she finished in 11th place with a round of 83, 11 over par.

Holland said, “26 strokes was the biggest lead ever for Girls Golf so the second day of playing was pretty easy and relaxed. It was more fun because there was less pressure. However, we started to put more pressure on each other to do well in the individual standings.”

Holland said, “Coming up the 18th hole leading the course was really cool. We had already started celebrating because our lead was so big. We knew we had won.”

After the two rounds, Arrowhead finished with a total score of 624, 48 over par. The runner-up was Middleton, 51 points behind. They finished with a score of 671, 99 over par.

Mattie Kujawski, a senior at Arrowhead, was part of the championship team. Kujawski shot a personal best of 41 on the front nine holes, and went one under on the back.

She say finishing as a state champion could not of been a better way to end her high school career: “Honestly it was one of the best accomplishments of my life. Last year we lost to them by one stroke, but this year we beat them by 51 strokes. It was an unreal experience, and to be able to finish on top was pretty cool.”

With this win, Arrowhead has won three state titles in the past 10 years.

For Kujawski, she says it’s more than just the title: “I have always dreamed of knowing I contributed to a state title at Arrowhead. There are so many who have done great things at Arrowhead and I am proud I get to be part of that club now.”

Kujawski tied for eighth place.

“I had no intention of making into the top ten for the whole tournament. My team and I have been working so hard in the off-season and during the season. For all of us to pull it together for the tournament, I couldn’t of been more proud of my team.”

Kujawski says she has been playing golf for as long as she can remember and has been on varsity for three years of her Arrowhead golf career.

“There is absolutely nothing I would change. I personally had my share of terrible rounds that almost made me quit. But playing golf competitively has taught me so much about myself, as well as everyone I play with. [They are] some of the most hardworking [and] honest people I have ever met.” says Kujawski.

Through up and downs, the years have been worth it for Kujawski. “Even though last year was hard the ending was great and every downfall was worth it for the last win.”