Scouts step up as Stevenson struggles

A former team state golf champion had one of those days when potential was reached.

A former individual state golf champ had one of those rare days when potential never got off the first tee.

While defending Class 2A state champ Stephanie Miller of Stevenson had an uncharacteristic day on the links, Lake Forest showed flashes of the Lake Forest of old Wednesday.

Led by medalist Caroline Dolan’s even-par 36 and Paige Skinner’s 37, the Scouts shot a 158 to upset visiting Stevenson (172) at Lake Bluff Golf Club.

“That was quite a surprise,” Lake Forest coach Marlene Miller said.

The Scouts’ score was their best of the season, “by far,” said Miller, who coached Lake Forest to state titles in 1996 and 1998.

The loss was the first in North Suburban Conference action for Stevenson (7-1), which seeks its sixth straight NSC championship at Deerpath Golf Course in Lake Forest on Tuesday. The Patriots got a break Wednesday when Mundelein defeated Libertyville to hand the Wildcats their second NSC loss.

Sophomore Nikki Marquardt led Stevenson with a 38.

“I’ve been playing pretty solidly lately,” said Marquardt, who had a rare off day herself Monday, shooting a 40 with an uncharacteristic 21 putts at Village Green.

“Nikki has found consistency in the 30s, and she’s liking it,” Patriots coach Andy Conneen said. “We’re liking it, too. She had tremendous potential coming into the season, and all her hard work is paying off down the stretch.”

Miller shot a 43, which included a pair of double bogeys. The junior hit only 2 fairways and 4 greens, and counted 18 putts.

“I wasn’t on my game,” Miller said. “When you don’t hit any greens, you have a problem.”

Miller began her day ominously, hooking her drive into the trees on No. 1.

“No big deal,” Miller said with a sheepish grin. “It was about a 100-yard tee shot.”

She bogeyed the hole, then blocked her tee shot on the par-5 second, rolled a wedge off the green and eventually doubled.

It got better for Miller, but only briefly, on the 276-yard third, which she almost drove. She left herself 6 yards short before chipping within tap-in range for a birdie.

But on the par-5 fourth, she pulled her drive left, eventually needed two chips to get on the green and wound up with a double bogey.

Miller pulled another drive on No. 5 and three-putted for bogey. She also bogeyed the sixth. Finally, on No. 7, she carded a par.

“It’s sad to say,” Miller said, “but that was the good part.”

She finished par, bogey.

“It just wasn’t my day,” Miller said. “The golfing gods just put a beating on me.”

“Everyone has off days,” Marquardt said of her teammate. “I’ve definitely had off days too. But she kept fighting. That’s the important thing to always do.”

Marquardt’s start was more favorable. She was 2-under through 2 holes, after sinking a 20-foot birdie putt on No. 1 and recording a tap-in birdie on No. 2. She remained at minus-2 before needing 2 shots to get out of the sand on the par-3 sixth and carding double-bogey to bring her to even par.

Marquardt three-putted Nos. 8 and 9, bogeying both.

Stevenson also counted Mary Beth Popielewski’s 44 and Anna Kaszuba’s 47.

Becca Scribner (41) and Corinne Donahue (44) completed the scoring for Lake Forest, which lost to Warren on a fifth-score tiebreaker Monday. Dolan started her day by chipping in for birdie on No. 1. She maintained her consistent play throughout her nine holes.

“I’ve been waiting for her to play like that,” Miller said. “She’s certainly had the potential.”