Hart qualifies for district on torn knee

Things changed in an instance. After becoming the medalist at the Sandusky Bay Conference Lake Division championship at Thunderbird Hills on Sept. 17, Perkins junior girls golfer Ireland Hart participated in the school's powder puff football game that evening. Things were going well until she was going in for a touchdown, made a juke move and felt a pop in her right knee. "I was going left and went back right and felt it," Hart said. "I immediately knew I tore something. I could hear the pop and you don't realize how loud it is until it happens. I couldn't pick up my leg." The worst fears were realized when Hart found out she completely tore her anterior cruciate ligament, tore her outside meniscus, tore her inside meniscus and partially tore her medial collateral ligament. The injury was confirmed two days later after a MRI. "Honestly, it's been a rough 10 days," Hart said. "I think I've been doing well with it. I've just been trying to push through the pain. If I continue grinding with golf, I should be fine." Despite the injury, Hart qualified earlier this week for a district tournament that takes place Tuesday at Stone Ridge Golf Club in Bowling Green. She shot an 89 at Sycamore Springs in Findlay, nabbing one of the individual spots to advance to districts. Hart will be joined by teammate Maycee Bohn, as well as teams from Clyde and Norwalk. Hart practiced at Stone Ridge on Thursday and has another practice round scheduled for Saturday. "I really wanted to have the team be there, but I'm thrilled to have Maycee there," Hart said. "It definitely takes the pressure off with having a friend there. We've grown up together. It's a different aspect having someone there, but I really love that." The pain didn't slow Hart down as she golfed less than 24 hours after the powder puff game. Essentially golfing on one leg, Hart fired a 39 to help Perkins secure the outright SBC Lake Division title with a nine-hole shootout win at Mills Creek. Hart said there was no way she wasn't going to golf with a league championship on the line. "I don't think that thought ever crossed her mind," Perkins coach Tim Belden said. "Her parents were quite worried. As a parent myself, I would be, too. She's a tough kid. Unless she can't walk, she's going to give it a go." Hart is a two-sport fall athlete for the Pirates. Despite continuing to golf, the knee injury brought an end to her soccer season. Hart was at soccer practice Friday supporting her team. "She's an even-keeled kid," Belden said. "She does a good job with her emotions, especially on the golf course. You almost wouldn't be able to tell anything is wrong. She has a positive attitude, but I give her credit for going out." The injuries to Hart's right knee, while not ideal, are a little better to handle than if it were her left knee. "As a right-handed golfer, she can keep her weight on her front foot and turn," Belden said. "We've been working on it since she got hurt. She won't hit her driver at districts, but she's hitting her hybrid just as far. She's struggled with her driver and it's given her trouble at times this year. She's been hitting a 6-iron off the tee and keeping it in play. "We're trying to find the positives out of this. I think it's helping her keep it in play a little more. Her short game has improved tremendously." The OHSAA granted Hart a medical waiver in order to be able to use a golf cart during the postseason. "Even walking up to the green, I'm hobbling in pain," Hart said. "The golf cart does come in clutch." Hart was named SBC Lake Player of the Year. She led Perkins in scoring at all six shootouts, as well as at the SBC tournament. "I've been coaching her, at least in practice, since she was in eighth grade," Belden said. "By far the biggest improvement is her short game. Once you're inside 100 yards, you're in the scoring zone." Surgery is imminent for Hart whenever her season ends. Should she advance past Tuesday, the Division I state tournament is scheduled for Oct. 12-13 at Firestone Country Club's Fazio Course in Akron. "Practicing has really made my golf season so much better between my sophomore and junior years," Hart said. "I've really worked hard at it and it has paid off. Even my dad has said the driver is for show and putting is for dough. "I've had a great season so far and so has my team. We've come a far way."