COLUMBUS — Perrysburg senior golfer Sydney Deal has been in big tournaments before, so she was well-prepared to golf for the fourth time in the state tournament Friday and Saturday.

Deal finished tied for the state runner-up position, shooting 71-72–143 on the par 70 Ohio State University Gray Course.

“She played well the first day,” Perrysburg coach Ryan DeLauter said. “I know in the past, she’s been there four times and she has experience. She saw the course at least nine times and that helps.”

In Deal’s four trips to the state tournament, this is her highest finish ever, placing in the top 10 for the first time. She finished 20th as a freshman and sophomore and 11th as a junior among typically 72 golfers who qualify.

Deal tied with Dublin Jerome junior Alexa Prettyman (71-72–143), Medina Highland senior Isabella Goyette (70-73–143) and Lewis Center Olentangy Orange senior Skylar Dean (71-72–143).

New Albany sophomore Mia Hammond won the state championship by seven strokes, shooting 67-69–136.

On the first day, Deal had three birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey, and on the second day she had four birdies, three bogeys and one triple bogey, which was enough to earn her first team All-Ohio.

Deal and DeLauter could not have asked for more. She said it helped that she had the experience.

“Both of them (rounds) were pretty solid all-around,” Deal said. “My game felt really good. It didn’t feel easy, but kind of, in that way. I just had two bad holes in both rounds but that was it.”

Despite seven birdies in 36 holes of golf, her favorite shot was a recovery from the rough.

“On the second day my best shot was my second shot (approach shot) on 16, which was a really good shot into the green,” Deal said.

“It was about 10-15 feet (from the flag) but it was a good shot out of the rough around a tree. Overall, my wedges felt really good and I was driving the ball well.”

DeLauter said that when she had the triple bogey on the second day, she got right back to business immediately afterward.

“That’s amazing. She went three rounds in a row with a practice round, and the first day she was 71, one-over, and the second day she was, at the time, one under, and then she tripled No. 6,” DeLauter said.

“It was the worst hole she had and I kind of had a talk with her, said to hang in there, and then she parred 7, 8, and 9 because we played the back first and finished two over.”

Those names in front of her, like Hammond, Prettyman, Goyette and Dean — they are her competitors, but her friends, and that includes the golfers who didn’t fare as well as Deal. She has been golfing with them at big tournaments for a couple years now, and that makes it easier.

“I mean, I know almost everyone one of the girls who are in the top 15, 20, so it’s really not that different from other high school tournaments. I’ve played with all of them a lot,” Deal said.

DeLauter added, “I know she plays a lot with those girls in the junior tournaments that they play in. She knows a lot of them, but that is elite competition to go head-to-head with and it is pretty amazing to watch.

“The way she plays and her confidence — the whole entire thing — is something for a guy to witness.”

Rick Rettig coached Deal her first three years at Perrysburg, but this year DeLauter, the former Perrysburg boys coach along with Dan Thompson, switched places with Rettig, who became the boys coach. Rettig’s son, sophomore Ryan Rettig, reached the boys district tournament.

Deal will join the womens golf team at Florida Gulf Coast University next year. DeLauter is grateful to get the experience coaching Deal, even for one year.

“It’s going to be rare to be anywhere near a talent like that,” DeLauter said. “To see her play in a high pressure tournament like that against the best in the state.”

Making the state tournament even better for Deal was that the entire Perrysburg team qualified for state this year, finishing 12th.

“I think having the whole team down there helped a little, too,” DeLauter said. “I don’t know what is going on inside her head, but at the same time having all of her friends down there to have the camaraderie.

“It’s like a normal tournament because we played together all year, so it’s kind of like not anything too different.”

Other Perrysburg scores were senior Ariyah Ellis (90-90–180), senior Olivia Eisaman (96-88–184), senior Paige Feldkamp (98-95–193) and senior Mia Moffit (101-109–210).

Dublin Jerome (297-300–597) won the state team title and Rocky River Magnificat (307-301–608) was runner-up. Perrysburg’s four-man team score was 355-345–700, but just qualifying was an accomplishment.

“Olivia shot 86 at districts, which was an amazing round for her, and we had Ariyah hang in there nad Paige played well,” DeLauter said.

“They’ve been wanting that for their five seniors. They’ve won the league championship four years in a row. They had never gotten over that hump to get to state.

“Sydney made it all those years, but having the five all together, I think that was the best way to end their careers.”

Deal was a Northern Lakes League Buckeye Division third singles champion in tennis this fall, too. The weather may be turning cold, but Deal is not putting the golf clubs away yet and you might see her playing tennis at Perrysburg Tennis Center, too.

“I’ll have more out of school tournaments during the spring and I’ll have a couple more before it gets too cold, too,” Deal said.