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By Brian Pitts

Enterprise Record

Coming into the Davie girls golf season, Caroline Bliss’ top round was 7-over 43, a mark she hit at Pine Knolls and at Reynolds Park as a junior in 2019.

The senior wasted no time matching her career best, shooting 43 in the season opener at Oak Valley on March 15. The effort gave her first place for Davie and fourth overall behind three girls from superpower Reagan.

“I didn’t really know what to expect with this modified season, but I was very happy with how I played,” Bliss said. “I feel like it displayed my practice and will keep me confident going into the rest of the season.”

Davie finished second in the three-team meet. Reagan met its lofty standards with a 2-under 106, followed by Davie’s 134 and East Forsyth’s 174.

For Davie, senior Kyleigh Harnsberger tied for fifth with a 45, junior Annika McDaniel tied for seventh with a 46 and sophomore Emerson Vanzant finished ninth with a 48.

The War Eagles are coming off their best season in nine years, finishing second behind Reagan in the Central Piedmont Conference in 2019.

Harnsberger is already among the greatest female golfers in program history, making all-conference three times, including a fourth-place showing as a junior when she averaged 39.4 strokes. The two-time state qualifier has scored under par twice in her career, including a 3-under 34 at Maple Chase in September of 2018.

The War Eagles are deep. McDaniel is a two-time all-conference performer, finishing eighth in the individual standings in 2019 with a 44.1 average. Bliss was all-conference in 2019 with a 45 average. McDaniel and Bliss have each qualified for the state once.

Notes: Vanzant’s 48 was 5 strokes better than her top round as a freshman. … Bob Donley is in his fifth year as coach. … Davie has eight players, including seniors Abagail Howerton and Ryan Fussell and juniors Krystal Davis and Riley Crotts.