DiGrazia places second

For the junior-dominated local girls golf scene, the two state tournaments in southern Illinois this weekend produced varying degrees of success for Gigi DiGrazia, Molly O'Connor and Hannah Buck.

At the Class A finals in Makanda at Stone Creek, DiGrazia was unable to buy any of her birdie opportunities, settling for second place overall.

"The putts just didn't fall," said the Driscoll junior, who had a second straight 76 to finish 8 strokes off the pace set by Effingham St. Anthony senior Jacklyn Jansen. "I had a lot of opportunities today. This is probably the best I've played at this course."

Making her third straight visit to the course, DiGrazia was competing in the smaller-school division after Driscoll was dropped to Class A.

"There isn't anything I can say that I regret," DiGrazia said. "I felt like my course management was very good. There isn't much of a letdown (competing in Class A); it's just a different class. It's not like 80s are winning in Class A."

O'Connor, on the other hand, had been attempting all season to have her scoring be commensurate with her ball-striking.

"Everything finally came together (on Friday)," O'Connor said.

The Wheaton Warrenville South junior was paired in the final group after firing a level-par 72 at Hickory Ridge in first-round action.

"I tried not to think about what the other girls in my group were doing," O'Connor said. "It was kind of a situation I've never been in before. I had never been in the final group of that big of a tournament."

O'Connor broke 40 on each nine, firing a 39 and 38, to earn all-state with a 149 two-day total, finishing in a three-way tie for eighth place.

Lake Forest senior Hailey Koschmann established a new state record, augmenting her 6-under-par 66 Friday with another half-dozen birdies Saturday to set the new benchmark at 9-under 135.

Buck was looking to make all-state once again for Neuqua Valley, but the junior was only able to better her Friday position by 1.

Firing a 5-over 77, Buck finished in a four-way tie for 23.

Defending state champion Alex Lederhausen was 10 shots off the blistering pace set by Koschmann on Friday, and the Hinsdale Central senior made a Saturday run, getting to 2-under on the back nine.

Lederhausen was seventh overall in leading the Red Devils to a fifth-place team finish.