SECTION 4 GIRLS' GOLF: CORNING'S ABEL WINS SECTIONAL TITLE; ND SENDS TWO TO STATES (24 PHOTOS) (2025-05-29)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
HORSEHEADS — For the second time in three years Delaney Abel is a sectional champion.

The Corning freshman dominated at the sectional tournament, shooting a one-over 72 at Soaring Eagles Golf Course on Thursday morning.

While Abel is a sectional champion, two Notre Dame golfers — Evelyn Wheeler and Emma Steed — are each heading to the state meet.

Abel won sectionals as a seventh grader, before finishing second a year ago. On Thursday she won the tournament by seven shots.

“It feels pretty good,” Abel said. “After last year, placing second, it feels good coming back on top again. It was definitely in the back of my mind this is what I wanted to do. Thankfully, I just kept in the right mindset to do it.”

Abel has been playing the best golf of her career this year.

“I felt a little bit of confidence (coming into Thursday),” Abel said. “I have probably been playing my best season I’ve ever played, so I’m thankful I could come out here and perform as well as I have been. Obviously there was a chance I could have lost. Everyone has bad days, it feels good though.”

The spring has been tough weather wise, but it was just occasional light rain on Thursday.

“The rain was okay, it was just misting and the course was pretty dry,” Abel said. “But, I usually do play better golf in the rain.”

Now it is back to states for a third straight year for Abel.

“I am pretty excited,” she said. “Hopefully I can play how I have been for this year and hopefully I can place top 10 at states.

“I put a lot of work in. It feels like if I were go go and shoot the same as I did last year at states I’d probably be a little disappointed, but since I have been putting in the effort I should be okay.”

A year ago Abel got off to a strong start, before finishing tied for 25th. She hopes for better this year, but the biggest thing is just posting good scores.

“That’s (top 10) definitely one of my goals for the year, so that would be pretty nice,” Abel said. “But, you never know what other people are going to do. I could shoot my best round and still wind up tied for 25th.”

The idea of wining a state title has at least crossed Abel’s mind.

“It’s definitely what I’ve been thinking about,” Abel said. I probably have to shoot one or two under to win a state title, but hopefully I can pull that off one of these years. I still have four years to go. Hopefully somewhere in those four years In can pull it off.”

Wheeler finished fifth with a round of 90 to earn her second trip to states. Steed tied for ninth with a 93. She won a one-hole playoff against Savanna Warfield of Marathon, shooting a six compared to a seven for Warfield, to earn her first trip to states.

“It is pretty good, I’m excited,” Wheeler said of making it back to states.

It was not Wheeler’s best day on the course, but her putting saved her.

“My playing was God awful today, but my putting saved me, and so did my drives, thankfully,” Wheeler said. “My long game (was a struggle), my approach shots, a lot of my approach shots. I missed a lot of greens today. But, luckily I was able to putt and make some long putts and get up and down.”

Wheeler knew she had to make those putts on a tough day.

“I am always thinking you have to make this,” Wheeler said. “This is a life or death kind of thing. You have to sink this putt. You have to make the chip, stick it close.”

It was tough for Wheeler throughout the round.

“It was so frustrating, you are just you have to get out of this slump,” Wheeler said. “Hoping and praying all day long.”

The weather has had a big impact all spring long for golfers.

“The rain, especially the rain, has impacted my game a lot because it makes the grips slippery, but I have dealt with it and managed it pretty well this year,” Wheeler said.

The weather was a bit easier on Thursday as the course was mostly dry.

“It was pretty nice,” Wheeler said. “We got some roll out on the greens, and some spin was happening on the greens, so it was nice.”

Now it’s back to states, and Wheeler is ready to see what she can do this year.

“Pretty excited, going to have some better shots definitely at states, so I’m excited,” Wheeler said.

Making states in the past helps take some nerves away.

“You aren’t as nervous, you know what to expect, you know the girls, you know what to look for,” Wheeler said.

And, Wheeler will have her teammate at states this year.

“I am happy, especially doing it with my best friend,” Steed said.

The playoff was nerve-racking for Steed, but she made it work to get to states.

“It was really tough, because we were both neck and neck when we hit our drive, so it was kind of scary,” Steed said.

Just getting into the playoff and having the chance to try and get to states was big for Steed.

“I was actually surprised that I was one of them to do a playoff,” Steed said. “I worked really hard to get here.”

After just missing states a year ago, Steed wanted to make it this year.

“It was really on my mind,” she said. “I just tried really hard each day to get there.”

Corning finished second as a team with a 410. Notre Dame was fifth at 513. Lansing won at 385. Waverly was third at 418, followed by Marathon (454).

Mady Weigand of Horseheads was 13th, three shots off the last state spot, with a 96. Corning’s Amanda Hall was 17th with a 108.

Kamryn Fusare of Corning was 27th at 114 and teammate Tess Barber was 30th at 116. Zoe Martin of corning was 38th at 128 tied with Ellie Padgett of Horseheads.

Bella Smith of Notre Dame was 45th at 148 followed by Corning’s Caroline Welch (153) and Sabrina O’Conner of Notre Dame (182).
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE TOURNAMENT:


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