Kasydie and Jessalyn Shipp have alternated experiencing the highs and lows of postseason golf.
Still just juniors, Platte County’s top two players have already experienced a trip to the Class 2 Missouri State Golf Championships — just in separate seasons. Kasydie Shipp made her state debut last fall, while Jessalyn Shipp missed the cut by a single stroke at Class 2 Sectional 4 — one year after she made a state trip as a freshman.
Now, the twin sisters have eyes on making the trip together.
“I feel like we can use these highlights and lowlights to improve the team and improve ourselves,” Jessalyn Shipp said.
“Using the disappointments definitely is a way to strive for something new,” Kasydie Shipp added. “You can also use the highlights if you’re struggling to show we’re still capable of going forward and pushing forward and doing our best.”
As a freshman, Jessalyn Shipp shot an 88-92 in two days at state to tie for 63rd out of 91 golfers in Class 2. Last year, Kasydie Shipp ended up tied for 79th.
Both have qualified for Sectional 4 play each of their first two years.
In 2016, Jessalyn shot three strokes better than her sister in the Class 2 District 8 tournament, helping Platte County finish seventh out of nine teams. The following week, Kasydie Shipp shot five strokes better than Jessalyn to earn a state spot.
Now, the Shipps hope not only to improve their own games but help lift Platte County’s team. The Pirates won a Suburban Conference Blue Division title for the first time in program history last season, and all five players return.
Abby White, a senior, and juniors McKennah Houlahan and Taylor Holbrook filled out the lineup last year at districts. While the team struggled coming off its conference title, the five gained valuable experience playing together, and the Shipps have high hopes for their teammates also experiencing increased success in this year’s postseason.
There will be just 12 players on this year’s roster, meaning the five returning players will be counted on heavily to continue the upward trend started with last year’s Blue Division conference championship.
“(The conference title) I think pushes us to be more motivated and get past districts as a team,” Jessalyn Shipp said, “just moving that team toward that better level.”