Flack, Prospect stay on winning track
When she looks across the street from her home, Isabella Flack sees a huge dirt mound on a fairway of the Mt. Prospect Golf Course where she and her Prospect teammates have played countless number of rounds.
With their home course under renovation all season, the Knights have become road warriors.
And life hasn't been so bad on the road.
The six-time defending Mid-Suburban League champions continued one of the most impressive current league winning streaks on Wednesday at Palatine Hills Golf Course.
In a battle of MSL unbeaten girls golf teams, Prospect won its 85th straight conference match with a 163-175 triumph over host Fremd (7-1).
The Knights (10-0) need wins against Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates on Sept. 23 for a seventh straight 11-0 league record under coach Jim Hamann.
"I miss it (Mt. Prospect Golf Course)," said Flack, a Ferris University recruit who grew up playing on the public course. "But I've gotten used to traveling and playing different courses. Mr. Hamann does a great job with practice rounds."
Flack's round of 39, second only to Fremd medalist Haizi Jung (38), led the Knights on the Palatine Hills par-36 front nine.
Rounding out the winner's score card (second best of the season) were senior Sammy Minasian (40), sophomore Sabrina Accardi (41) and senior Kacie O'Donnell (43).
"Sammy was awesome," Flack said of her classmate who shot a career-best round. "She played real well in practice (Tuesday) and carried it over to this round."
Putting was the big key for Minasian, who did not 3-putt.
"We have been working real hard on putting and we will continue to do that," Hamann said.
Minasian sank a clutch 7-footer on the second hole to highlight her work on the greens.
"I definitely knew it was a high-pressure match," Minasian said. "That motivated me to get it done for my team."
"We came here knowing they were undefeated," added Flack, a four-year varsity player who has never lost a MSL match. "We wanted to make sure we played as a team, and not worry about individual scores."
Flack's score included 6 pars.
"I was hitting greens and recovering well," said Flack, who landed in water on the par No. 5 but still bogeyed the hole. "This was awesome for our team. Obviously, we've had a real good team the last three years (two state titles and one runner-up) and we wanted to try and live up to those expectations."
Jung's driving and putting helped her record a career-best round which began with a double bogey and bogey.
"After that start, I just told myself I didn't want to go over 39 (her previous best high school round)," Jung said.
Jung finished with nothing higher than a par, registering 1 birdie on No. 3 and then six straight pars.
"That was incredible golf," said Fremd coach Christine Vlaming, whose club stands at 7-1 in the MSL. "She has worked real hard on her game.
"It was nice she came back like this today because she wasn't happy with how she played Tuesday (dual meet against Elk Grove.)
Following Jung on the Vikes' score card were junior Jaehee Hur (42), junior Sophia Metallo (44) and sophomore AnnMarie Sullivan (51).
"To defeat Fremd on it home course is a real accomplishment," Hamann said. "They are always a great team. It's a great program and the are well coached."
Hamann also received scores of 44 from Kate Ponzi and 45 from Emma Dazzo.
"We have not had a practice that I have been unhappy with," said Hamann, who graduated three Division I golfers from last year's Class AA state championship team. "We work on the right things and believe in what we do. I keep telling the girls to believe in the process and sooner or later, you will see the results. And many of them saw them today.
"This is a victory we would like to build upon. We will continue to stay on course to be playing our best golf in October. There are still a couple of weeks to knock off shots."