Dearborn High School senior Elayna Bowser was named Miss Golf by the Michigan High School Athletic Association after winning first place in nine and second place in two of the 12 tournaments in which she played this season.
DEARBORN — The Dearborn High School girls’ golf team celebrated several firsts this season, including counting Miss Golf — the state’s top high school female golfer — as one of its co-captains and, for the first time in school history, winning a regional championship.
The team was also recognized Academic All State, with a team grade point average of 3.67.
Senior Elayna Bowser was named Miss Golf, the highest recognition in the state for female high school golfers. Bowser was chosen from the eight players selected for the Michigan High School Athletic Association Super Team which represents golfers from all schools in Michigan, regardless of size. This is the second year Bowser was named to the Super Team.
Bowser finished first in nine of 12 tournaments in which she played this season, and finished second in two others. She was regional champion this year and finished third at the Division 1 state finals. She finished second at the state finals last year. She has an average of 72.5 for 18 holes.
“Elayna did not begin to golf competitively until her freshman year in high school,” DHS coach Howard Inch said. “She began high school shooting around 100 and then proceeded to set every school golf record at Dearborn High. I have never seen anyone work so hard and improve so quickly in high school golf. Her high school tournament accomplishments and team leadership are unrivaled.”
Inch and coach Kevin Barkoff attribute the team’s success to hard work by all eight team members under the leadership of senior co-captains Bowser and Madison Renko. Both have played on the varsity team for four years and have been recognized by the MHSAA as being among the best of Michigan’s high school female golfers in 2014.
Renko was named to the 2014 All-State Team. She is one of 13 golfers on the Division 1 team which represents the state’s largest high schools. Renko also received an individual Academic All Star Honorable Mention.
The other golfers on the DHS team sharing in the season’s accomplishments are: Grace Fiscelli, Casandra Fisher, Caroline Marcon, Molly Morey, Brenna Shelton and Jessica Wensley.
“On behalf of the school district, I congratulate the girls on the Dearborn High golf team,” Dearborn Public Schools Supt. Brian Whiston said. “We appreciate their drive to succeed on the course as well as in the classroom, which is illustrated by their recognition as an Academic All Star team.
“We are fortunate that our district has dedicated coaches and student leaders who work hard to provide opportunities for students to become proficient in sports that offer challenges for personal growth, camaraderie and even the potential for college scholarships.”