Waubonsie's Singhsumalee wins third regional championship
It was as if yet another under-par round by Bing Singhsumalee was immaterial.
But Wednesday afternoon at Nettle Creek Country Club in Morris, the Illinois-bound Waubonsie Valley star captured her third regional championship with a 3-under 68.
Having accomplished virtually every individual accolade in the sport with the exception of a state championship, Singhsumalee has grander wishes after leading the Warriors to their fourth regional championship in the last five years at the Class AA Plainfield North tournament.
"That would be, like, up there on my list of achievements," Singhsumalee said of a potential team berth to the state finals for Waubonsie Valley. "That would be up there."
"That's all she talks about," Waubonsie Valley coach Jack Farner said.
The Warriors shaved 18 strokes off their opening-nine scores on their inward-nine totals to win comfortably over sister schools Metea Valley and Neuqua Valley.
The three Indian Prairie high schools shots respective team scores of 346, 357 and 361.
Naperville Central essentially qualified its entire team as the Redhawks advanced half of the 10 at-large contenders to the Lincoln-Way Central sectional on Monday with their fourth-place 366.
Rosary (421) and West Aurora (426) had four combined players narrowly miss the individual cut, which fell at 99, in placing sixth and seventh, respectively.
Singhsumalee was flawless on her opening nine, converting two birdie putts to complement a card full of pars.
The senior bogeyed No. 10, only to rebound with birdies on back-to-back holes.
Singhsumalee then negated a 3-putt at No. 17 by snaking home a 10-footer on the closing hole for her fifth birdie on the day.
"I wanted to make that putt," Singhsumalee said. "I'm starting to hit the ball. My putting is there. I am happy with where I am right now."
Arushi Singh fired an inward-nine 40 to augment her senior teammate with an 85 for the Warriors.
"(My expectations went) from winning the regional to advancing out of the regional," Farner said of the Warriors' early difficulties.
Metea Valley will make its second sectional appearance in program history after Niquoe Mangal and Katelyn Kline had runner-up and fourth-place results with their 77 and 82.
"It is very exciting to be part of a team atmosphere and not just as an individual," said Kline, a two-time individual state qualifier.
Neuqua Valley defending state champion Jessica Yuen played her final 15 holes in 2-over to fire a team-low 78.
"Five-over through three (holes)," Yuen said of her nightmarish beginning. "I told myself not to make the same mistakes as you did the first couple of holes."
Stephanie Robinson fired an 84 to lead Naperville Central, which also advanced Kate Ryan, Lydia DeMoss, Casey Novak and Heather Griffin.
"We knew that whoever was going to be the fourth-place team would take a disproportionate number of individuals out," Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson said.
Rosary, one year after its first team state appearance at the Class A tournament, had narrow misses by three separate players.
Ries McCue was a mere stroke off the individual cut line with her 100.
Jenna Streich and Morgan Martinez were 2 and 4 shots, respectively, off the pace.
"They all got off to tough starts," Rosary coach Joe Hughes said. "What impressed me the most was they never stopped playing. They kept working, they kept grinding."
Mabri Pryer had a 101 to lead West Aurora.