By Andrew Johnson
LocalSportsJournal.com

NORTH MUSKEGON – After winning an individual regional championship, you might expect a young golfer to boast a bit about her performance.

But that isn’t the case for Division 4 regional champion Abby Grevel of North Muskegon. While she’s proud of the way she golfed last week, she’d much rather talk about the accomplishments of her team.

Abby Grevel is North Muskegon’s No. 1 golfer and hopes to lead her team to success in this weekend’s state finals. Photo/Jason Goorman

For the third straight year, the Norse girls golfers played well enough in regionals to qualify for the Division 4 state finals.

North Muskegon finished third last Thursday in the regional tournament at Milham Park Golf Course in Kalamazoo. The Norse finished with a score of 368, trailing only regional champion Kalamazoo Hackett (351) and Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (365).

“We went into the regional hoping to qualify,” said Grevel, a junior. “We were playing good a few days before, and had confidence going in, while also being super excited.”

Grevel did more than her share to help her team make the state finals. She shot a sparkling 79 to win the individual regional title, three shots ahead of Emily Stull of Kalamazoo Hackett and six shots ahead of her teammate Lindsay Bliss, who finished third overall.

“I felt a little nervous,” said Grevel, who finished fourth individually at regionals as a freshman and sixth as a sophomore. “I knew that every shot mattered when qualifying as a team. We wanted to grind it out, and I wasn’t trying to shoot real low, but it felt awesome and was a great accomplishment.”

Grevel managed to win the regional title despite having a little trouble with her putting, which she attributed to fast greens on the course.

Grevel prepares to shoot at the recent city golf meet. Photo/Jason Goorman.

“I thought it went really well, but the greens were super tough,” she said. “I had a lot of three putts, but thankfully I was hitting the ball well enough that I wasn’t getting double or triple bogeys.

“The greens were super fast because they had cut them. They (course managers) apologized for how tough they were. Overall I think I played well, but I wish my putting was better.”

North Muskegon golf coach Jimmy Hegedus says Grevel has put in the necessary work to be successful at the high school level.

“It wasn’t a surprise because she’s been working hard at her game all summer, leading into the season,” Hegedus said, “She’s able to bomb her driver and has good iron play to put herself in good scoring opportunities when using course management.

“I think she should be able to place in the top five at state, with her teammate Lindsay Bliss.”

Grevel’s success in golf really isn’t surprising, since she’s been playing the game with her family since she can remember.

Abby Grevel will head into this weekend’s state golf finals as a regional champ and contender for the individual title. Photo/Jason Goorman.

Her older sister, Madison Grevel, is a former North Muskegon golfer.

“I was little and I remember going out and driving the cart with my dad,” said Grevel, the daughter of Jeff and Laura Grevel.

“The whole family would go out and golf together, and we’d help each other. I always wanted to beat my sister and one up her. We were always competitive when it came to chipping and who would have the longest drive.”

Grevel will have that completive spirit when the North Muskegon girls golf team travels to Michigan State University’s Forest Akers Golf Course for the Division 4 state finals on Friday and Saturday.

North Muskegon finished 11th in the state in 2016 and sixth in 2015.

When asked about the finals, Grevel again spoke first about her team’s prospects.

“It would be amazing,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for anything better. For us to win a state championship, I wouldn’t have the words to describe it.”

She’s also aware that she’s a contender for the Division 4 individual state championship, and admits it would be exciting.

“It would be a dream come true,” she said. “It would just be a life-changing moment, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”