HARRIS — Looking at scoring averages heading into Wednesday’s Upper Peninsula Division 1 Girls Golf Final, Escanaba assistant coach Jake Berlinski figured his team was the favorite. 

With that in mind, he offered a simple message to deal with any pressure that comes with such a target.

“Just play our game,” said Berlinski, who handled things at the girls event while program coach Brian Robinette was up the road at the boys tournament. “Play Eskymo golf, I guess you call it, and do what we do best. The girls handled their business.”

For the third time in four years, that business resulted in receiving a Finals championship trophy.

Escanaba finished first with a score of 382 at Sweetgrass Golf Club, 17 shots clear of runner-up Marquette. The top-five was rounded out by Calumet (429), Negaunee (434) and Menominee (444). 

Leading the way was junior Kamrie Scott, who successfully repeated as medalist. She finished with an 8-over-par round of 80, which was 10 shots better than runner-up Lexi Marineau of Menominee. Scott recorded birdies on the par-3, third hole and the par-4, 17th hole. 

“I was hitting it good, so that was working,” Scott said. “It’s really hard around the greens here. They are really fast.”

Sweetgrass annually hosts an event on the Epson Tour, which is the developmental circuit for the LPGA Tour. 

Scott has attended the tournament multiple times and might again when it’s played this June 20-22. Conquering the same course she has seen professionals play was a nice feeling. 

“It feels cool do it on the same course they play on,” Scott said. 

In addition to Scott, senior Danni Hughes shot a 93 for Escanaba, finishing in a tie for third individually with Sault Ste. Marie senior Kyla Garland. 

“Sweetgrass doesn’t give up easy pars,” Berlinski said. “It’s tough. But the girls just plodded through and played hard. That’s all we asked them to do.“

Also pleased was Marquette, which posted its best Finals finish since coming in second three straight seasons from 2013-15. Senior Roegen Hruska shot a 94 to finish fifth, junior Kylie Smith carded a 96 to take sixth and junior Delanie Rhodes tied for seventh with a 97 to lead the way. 

Marquette assistant Michelle Smith, who presided over the girls team while husband and program coach Ben Smith was at the boys Final, said it was the first time all year the Sentinels broke 400 at a tournament. 

“The girls (played) really good yesterday (at a practice round), they felt comfortable coming into today and they did really well,” Smith said. “We had three girls in the top 10, so we are pretty excited about that.”

PHOTOS (Top) Escanaba shows its latest Upper Peninsula Division 1 championship trophy at Sweetgrass Golf Club on Wednesday. (Middle) Delanie Rhodes of Marquette looks toward the fairway after hitting her tee shot on No. 10. (Photos by Keith Dunlap.)