Huskies deliver DVC crown
Naperville North state returnee Amanda Bruski has served as coach Greta Williams' right hand this season.
Williams acknowledged the indispensable role Bruski has performed this season at the Huskies' invitational last Saturday, and it was an unforgettable day for the Naperville North girls golf team Tuesday.
Williams missed the tournament.
But then again, she had a pretty good reason.
The Naperville North coach delivered her second child early Tuesday morning, and the Huskies gave their mentor quite a shower gift: the first DuPage Valley Conference title in program history.
"I was playing for (Williams)," said Bruski, who fired an 82 for third place overall. "I knew it would make for a very special day for her. This was our goal from the beginning of the year."
The Huskies' 353 championship performance at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in West Chicago was inconceivable without the coming-from-nowhere round by Marisa Miko.
The junior had the low front-nine round of the tournament -- a 2-over-par 38 -- and completed her second-place 80 with a 42 coming in to lead the Huskies' coronation.
"I was making some very good putts," Miko said. "Overall, I was very pleased with the way I played. (The team mindset was) just to have fun and stay focused."
Elisa Palluau had a 91 for Naperville North, and Tracy Bates completed the Huskies' scoring with a 100.
"It's a good day for Greta," said Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson. "(Naperville North has) a good group of girls. It's very well-deserved for them."
Two-time defending champion Wheaton Warrenville South was second at 357, and Molly O'Connor balanced the Tigers' second-place overall conference showing by winning the individual crown for a second year in a row.
The junior fashioned steady composite nine-hole rounds of 39 and 40, respectively, to ease past Miko for individual honors with a 79.
"I feel like I left some strokes out there," O'Connor said. "I've been struggling with my swing. Today was about keeping the ball in play."
"She would have been disappointed if she didn't defend," WW South coach Art Tang said of his prize pupil.
Freshman Sarah Skurla earned all-conference honors for the Tigers with an 85.
Wheaton North and West Aurora were in a third-place tie after the Blackhawks erased the Falcons' 2-point lead entering the tournament with a 361.
Senior Allie Cerone led Wheaton North with an 87, while Jordan Heinlein and Rachel Bradley were right behind.
Naperville Central has a freshman to watch in Carolyn Wong, who paced the Redhawks with an 87.
West Chicago was led by Kim Klezcewski and Natalie Pacelli.
West Aurora has lofty goals for next year as the team boasts seven juniors in its senior-less program.
Ellen Christensen and Madison Whitt earned all-conference selection with their respective rounds of 88 and 89.
Karina Diaz had the low nine-hole round for the Blackhawks with an outward score of 43 to forge the fourth score for the team with a 94.
Tina Stengel bettered her classmate by 3 strokes in the fifth position to give West Aurora its third mark at 91.
"Putting was difficult, the greens were pretty fast," Whitt said. "There were missed opportunities as there always are in golf. That's the way it is."
"I think I played pretty well today," Christensen added. "I didn't have any blowup holes."