For the fourth time in nine years the Bainbridge High School girls varsity golf team returned home with the Metro League title this season, claiming the top spot at the recent 2018 Metro Girls Golf Championship tournament at Jackson Park Golf Course in Seattle.

It was, in fact, the second time in the last three years they snagged the title, and proved a perfectly appropriate cap to their undefeated regular season.

BHS finished with a team score of 720, just five shots better than Holy Names Academy (second place out of nine teams) and six shots better than Lakeside (third).

“Even just one hole can cost you, if you put up a big number,” said Spartan Head Coach Ian Havill. “So we really focused on trying to understand that.”

Spartan co-captain Kendall Havill was the team’s top points earner, finishing in sixth place overall (167 points).

“[Kendall] just played steady,” the coach said of his daughter. “You can play where you can take out big numbers. You might not get your lowest score of all time, but you’re playing in such a way that you’re consistent. That’s what she did and that was really helpful to our team.”

Spartan freshman phenomenon Grace Frei finished eighth (173), ending a strong debut season on the varsity squad and giving fans and her coach a preview of what promises to be a glorious playing career in time.

“She had more of a good day that first day, and not as good the second day,” Havill said. “She has so much to learn. She’s got a lot of talent and her game is when she’s hitting the ball well she scores well, and I think as soon as she learns better course management and decision making she’s going to be very difficult to deal with — for other teams; she’s going to be good for us.”

Senior co-captain Lucy Hanacek finished ninth (175) in this, her final trip to the tourney, living, the coach said, up to her usual solid reputation.

“Lucy is kind of the opposite [of Grace],” Havill said. “She already made some of those mistakes and she’s a senior. She’s very consistent … not going to generally have a bad day, she’s usually pretty solid and knows how to play golf.

“I’m really proud of her,” he added. “My relationship with her really blossomed over the season. She was the navigator in the car and she was someone who could help communicate with the players.”

Anna Kozlosky finished in 23rd place (205 points), and freshman Hayden Jobes finished 39th (233).

Catherine Rolfes and Makena Miller, who actually finished in 28th place, both also played, though only the other five scores counted toward the team’s final score.

Havill said he knew early on this year’s squad was going to be special, especially when they began breaking records — and then breaking the new records they’d just set.

“This team started shooting five or six shots better than [previous championship squads],” he said. “They broke the single [scoring] match record twice, broke their own [record] once.”

He was thrilled with their final performance, but not, he said, surprised.

“I think that we always feel that we have a shot at winning,” he said. “It’s not unusual to be in the running.”

What was unusual, however, was the level of dedication shown by this roster. Playing on days off, playing on the weekends, this year’s team went the extra mile, Havill said, to be better every outing.

And it paid off.

“We traveled to the Metro courses that the championship was going to be played on four times this year to play them and assess club selection,” the coach said. “It’s one thing to go to Wing Point [Golf & Country Club]. You play it a lot; you know what you’re going to hit. You get comfy. Then, you got a new place and if you’re wrong at Jackson you’re going to lose your ball.”

The Spartans were easily more familiar with the course than other teams, Havill said. And a change of perspective played a role in their success as well.

“We used to have, including me, an attitude that wasn’t productive about the course,” he said. “‘Well, this course is difficult and it’s not designed well.’ We’d always score poorly out there. But [back] then the championship wasn’t there. It hasn’t been there until this year. So it’s just like, ‘Eh, I complain about it, whatever.’ Didn’t really matter. But then it was going to matter.

“I realized I was contributing to that attitude and I’m just like, ‘How are we going to do better with me doing that?’”

So the team shifted some paradigms, turned their frowns upside down.

“I had a hunch, which turned out to be correct, that the other schools, you could hear them complaining,” Havill said. “Their mentality about the course was what ours used to be.”

In fact, come to find out, some of the other teams had never even played the back nine at Jackson (you only play the front nine in regular matches).

In reflecting on the team’s regular success in his near decade at the helm, Havill said there are many factors.

“I’m writing thank-you notes right now, and when you start to think about all the people that contribute the success, you’ve got Wing Point and being able to practice and play out there,” he said. “You’ve got Meadowmeer; we utilize their facilities sometimes. White Horse; we utilize their facilities. All the people involved.”

It’s also a matter of tone, the coach said.

“To me, what I try to do and I think has been successful, is create a culture where girls are welcome,” he said. “If you’re on the golf team you’re part of something.”