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My Granddaughter News Article Don't look now, but the high school girls' golf season is more than halfway over. It hardly seems possible, especially for a freshman such as Melanie Southern, who has represented Bloomington South on the course for a mere month and been in the classroom for just three weeks. But with the sectional a scant three weeks away, minus a couple of days, Southern got her first varsity look at the sectional course at Cascades on Wednesday night as the Panthers edged past host Bloomington North, 200-211. Not that she wasn't already familiar, having grown up playing primarily at Cascades and Stonecrest. Bloomington South freshman Melanie Southern hits a tee shot during Wednesday's match against Bloomington North at Cascades Golf Course. Southern took medalist honors with a 40. "It was pretty much the same as what I've always seen, but you have to get used to these greens and adjust to every shot, so it's a challenge," said Southern, who took medalist honors with a 40. Learning from a young age Southern has been up to the challenge since her father put a club in her hands at the age of 3, beginning tournament play at the age of 9. She played three Indianapolis Junior Golf events this past summer, winning twice and finishing third the other time. "Tournament play has really pushed me as a player," Southern said. "I'm pretty good now because of the tournament I've played in and my dad coaching me and coaching me." Making adjustments to high school golf There's still an adjustment period to the world of high school golf, particularly the nine-hole dual matches such as the one on Wednesday. "It's challenging because she's always been able to prepare, get loose and play in these 18-hole events she plays in," South coach Dustin Carver said. "So when it comes to dual matches and nine-hole events, it's just a mindset that she has to prepare herself in. Bloomington South’s Melanie Southern hits a shot during the Bloomington North-Bloomington South golf match at Cascades Golf Course Wednesday afternoon. "I try to tell her, 'You've got to play aggressive and go from there. You can't play complacent, just go after it.'" Southern intends to do just that. She shot a season-low 70 in the first week of the season and is setting the bar high for the pending postseason, both individually and for the Panthers. "I really do want to make it to state, I really do, and I think I can do it," she said. "Shooting in the 60s would be nice. I've shot a 70, so I think shooting in the 60s would be nice, but I'll just go with whatever comes at me. "It's different playing as a team. I've always played solo, so playing as a team you think about it differently, not just contributing to yourself, but the team as a whole. It's really different." Panthers looking to team up If the Panthers are to stick around past the sectional, they'll need to make some strides in the next three weeks. Get the Afternoon Update newsletter in your inbox. Catch up with the day's latest headlines Delivery: Weekdays thoneyhush@aol.com Your Email "First time being over at Cascades this year, then we'll see it next week against Edgewood," Carver said. "We'll get used to it before sectionals here. All in all, not too disappointed. We hit some good shots, some bad shots. From what I've seen in regards to the putter, if we get it under control, we'll be under 200." Bloomington South’s Sydne Goodlett hits a shot during Wednesday's match at Cascades Golf Course as, from left to right, Panthers' coach Dustin Carver, Bloomington North's Delani Fisher and Mallory Barrow look on. He has golfers capable of providing strong support for Southern, although no other Panthers broke 50 on Wednesday. "I know Isabelle Haines-Fields (53) and Sydne Goodlett (51) can shoot in the 40s out here," Carver said. "They just had a couple of bad holes, but you're looking at Maya Anderson-Corns (56) playing some better golf and then Avery Beck (59) in her first year getting into tournament play. She's only going to get better, a tremendous athlete and another basketball player in Macy Hays getting her first taste of tournament experience tonight." Cougars on the prowl for consistency It's a similar story for Bloomington North, which was led by Darian Lafferty with a 47 as she overcame a nine on the opening hole. Ivy Yoder added a 54, while Mallory Barrow and Libby Rice each shot 55. "Just so many silly mistakes, whether it's three-putts, we had a lot of those collectively, or poor chips right next to the green," Cougars coach Brian Muehlhaus said. "I don't care who you are, you're going to hit bad shots but you have to find a way to salvage a score on a hole where you hit a bad shot. Sometimes for us, we hit a bad shot and compound it with another bad shot and another bad shot." Bloomington North’s Darian Lafferty, left, putts the ball as her Bloomington South playing partners Isabelle Haines-Fields, center, and Melanie Southern, right, look on during Wednesday's match at Cascades Golf Course. North has yet to break 200 this season, mostly linger somewhere between 207 and 210, although Wednesday's round trended a shot in the wrong direction. But those silly mistakes are fixable, but with the conference tournament two weeks away followed by the sectional, corrections must be made soon. "We should be under 200 every time we play," Muehlhaus said. "No reason we should not be but we haven't done it and haven't been close. Time is running out. "If the goal is to advance out of sectional, we have to make up a lot of ground in a short amount of time."