Northwest girls golf sectional preview
At Rockford Guilford
Where and when: Monday at Ingersoll Golf Course, Rockford, 9:30 a.m.:
Teams (with regional score): Prospect (328), Highland Park (333), Rockford Boylan (335), Stevenson (336), Hampshire (347), Barrington (350), Crystal Lake Central Coop (353), Prairie Ridge (353), Rockton Hononegah (357), Warren (376), Freeport (373), Libertyville (373).
Area individual qualifiers: Sophomore Grace Kil (Buffalo Grove) 79, senior Megan Rogowski (Hersey) 82, freshman Dana Gattone (St. Viator), 83, sophomore Angie Kim (Fremd) 90, junior Nikki Gierman (Hersey) 90, senior Lauren DeBellis (Fremd) 93, sophomore Jackie Halden (Conant) 94, sophomore Emily Santucci (Schaumburg) 96, freshman Nikki Callahan (Hoffman Estates) 100.
Area team qualifiers (with top four scores): Prospect junior Christine Garmoe 79, junior Allison Walsh 82, senior Rachel Lawless 85, senior Emily Mick 82; Barrington senior Laura Palarz 80, senior Kelly Muskat 84, junior Sammy Carman 91, senior Casey Hahn 95; Stevenson sophomore Stephanie Miller 74, junior Claire Lavezzorio 84, senior Nicole Crosby 85, freshman Nikki Marquardt 93.
Team Outlook: Prospect and sixth-year coach Jim Hamann hardly feel their work is complete. After winning a fourth regional in school history, the Knights want to make the state finals as a team for the first time since 2003. Their regional score was the best of any team in the sectional. “We can't be preparing any better, Hamann said. “The girls have been doing a nice job in practice and in practice rounds. Hamann said his girls have played the Ingersoll course three times this season. “There are no water hazards, the coach said. “The course is fair. It's a little bit longer but I think that bodes well for our kids. The key will be 50-yard shots and in. It's a good sectional course. Garmoe's score of 74 at Pine Meadow in the Libertyville Invite is the best 18-hole round for a Prospect player this season. Rachel Lawless' third-place finish (75) at the Homewood-Flossmoor Invite at Green Garden Country Club was the second best. Allison Walsh and Garmoe also shot 77s at the Knights Invite on August 25. Hamann has had five girls shoot in the 30s for nine holes. The best were MSL runner-up Allison Walsh (34), Garmoe (35), Rachel Lawless (36), Emily Mick (39) and Noreen Caporusso (39). Prospect's only sectional title came in 2001.
Barrington is a 12-time state qualifier and was third in 1996 under Hall of Fame coach Jodi Schoeck. The Fillies are coming off their 15th regional title in school history and have won four sectionals. Schoeck believes the key for her Fillies will be hitting the fairways and course management. “We must respect the course and play in the moment, she said. “There's a ton of trees and the leaves will be an issue so that's where hitting the ball on the fairway will be an issue for scoring. Schoeck also said the greens will be smaller than those at the Prairie Isle Golf Course in Crystal Lake where the Fillies placed second in their sectional. “It's an old park district course, Schoeck said. “There's little movement to the greens compared to huge mound greens at Prairie Isle. These are pretty quiet greens, Schoeck said the Fillies must take what the course gives and not get ahead of themselves. “This is a tight-knit group and the kids work hard every day and take pride in what they do, she said. “I'm so proud of where they have come as a team. We've just got to go for it (Monday) leave it all out on the course. Schoeck said her players must shoot their averages. “If we can shoot in the 330s, I think we have a great shot to advance (to state as one of the three team qualifiers), she added. “I talked to the team about the fact that there are no limits for us and that on any given day, anything is possible. Low individual scores: Stevenson sophomore Stephanie Miller and Hampshire junior Connie Ellett each recorded the lowest regional scores (74) in the sectional field. Miller has back-to-back regional crowns. Her 74 at the Deerfield Golf Course last Wednesday was easily the best round as the next closest pursuers shot 79s. “The course (Ingersoll) is pretty straight forward, said Miller, who finished in the top ten (tied for eighth) in the state tourney as a freshman. “I just have to go out and try to play my best.
At Nazareth Academy
Where and when: Monday at Willowcrest Golf Course, Oakbrook, 9 a.m.
Teams: New Trier (316), Loyola (327), St. Charles East (330), Batavia (333), Wheaton Warrenville South (336), Glenbrook North (350), Lyons (357), St. Ignatius (357), Benet (359), Nazareth (371), Fenwick (376), Payton (381),
Area Outlook: Elk Grove senior Mia Kaim (79) and sophomore Katie DeMuelenaere (98) are the area's only two representatives in this sectional after qualifying in the Maine South regional.
Kaim became the first female golfer from Elk Grove High School to win the Mid-Suburban League individual championship when she tied for first with a 79, then won on the first playoff hole at Chevy Chase Golf Course in Wheeling.
She came back and finished with the fourth best score (another 79) in the regional played at the Mt. Prospect Golf Course. She was first among the individual qualifiers. Kaim is hoping to play the game in college. A four-year varsity golfer, she has also been on the varsity badminton team for two years.
“I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to golf, said Kaim, the president of Elk Grove's Leo organization. “When I started as a freshman, Elk Grove did not have a girls golf team. Kaim played her first two years for a Rolling Meadows-Elk Grove co-op team. “Knowing that the co-op agreement was only for two years, Elk Grove formed its own team my junior year, Kaim said. Coach Kyle Burritt has taken over the program. “For me, golf really requires positive mentality, Kaim said. “ If you keep making pars, a birdie will come your way eventually. Even a bogey won't hurt you now and again, what could hurt is turning a bogey into a double or a triple, (thankfully I haven't done that in a while). Sometimes you just need to accept the bogeys and move on, mentally. If you do that, and shoot well, the scores stay pretty low.
Kaim is looking forward to playing in today's sectional with a chance to head to the state finals. “I just need to keep my head in it and play my own game, she said.