Storm makes some history

South Elgin's girls golf team has a shot to make history almost every time it heads out on the course.

On Wednesday, the Storm's 2-year-old co-op team almost pulled off a phenomenal breakthrough. Its top four golfers matched the top four from perennial power Barrington shot for shot in the Class AA Prairie Ridge regional at Prairie Isle Golf Club in Crystal Lake.

They were even with 370 but Barrington won its sixth straight regional title and 14th in its history on a fifth-score tiebreaker. South Elgin finished second to advance to Monday's Waukegan sectional at Bonnie Brook Golf Club.

"We were hoping to get in the top three but I didn't think we'd be that close to winning it," said first-year South Elgin coach Tim Prendergast.

"This means a lot to us," said senior Andrea Mastro, who shot a career-best 88 on the par-73, 5,438-yard course. "To come from different schools but you still have to be a team."

Junior Carly Schneider, who attends Streamwood, shot 80 to finish second by 4 shots to Minnesota-bound medalist Tori Stock of Marian Central Catholic.

Samantha Coyne (98) goes to Bartlett and Mastro, Kaitlyn Boehne (104), Alyssa Buelow and Laura Slowik attend South Elgin.

"Our team was really good this year and all the girls came together," Schneider said of a team that took third in the Upstate Eight tournament last week. "We knew if we kept with it and went to all the practices and cheered for everyone, that kind of pushed us the whole season, and we knew we could do it."

Schneider said her putting was the key to qualify for sectionals for the second straight year in a round that started in rainy and windy conditions.

"That's really impressive," Prendergast said of Schneider's 40 on each nine.

"Coming into this year I told my parents I want to win conference, win regionals, win sectionals and go to state," Schneider said of missing state by 2 shots last year." Getting second in conference and second here is just great."

Mastro overcame some struggles with her driver to surpass the 89 she shot last week at the Upstate Eight tourney. It was a long way from the 116 she shot in last year's regional.

"I just wanted to go to sectionals and that pumped me up," Mastro said. "I wanted to do well my senior year.

"I golfed all summer, worked hard at every practice and didn't goof off like I did last year."

Conant junior Kris Yoo finished third (81). Taylor Quinn shot 85 to lead Barrington.

Marian Central shot 379 to take the third and final team qualifying berth for the sectional.

Prairie Ridge had two sectional qualifiers - Allison Holly (87) and Katelyn Horgan (101).