Batavia makes history with title
Kayla Lehman and Tara Cullerton are not typical freshman athletes, and Batavia rode their coattails for a program first Wednesday afternoon.
The Bulldogs had never advanced out of a girls golf regional in their decade-long existence.
But the two freshmen turned top-five performances at the Class AA Minooka regional at Heritage Bluffs in Channahon into gold for the Bulldogs.
Lehman overcame a pair of back-nine double bogeys with 7 pars, and Cullerton was equally consistent in firing an 87 for Batavia.
Lehman tied for second with an 81, and Batavia used its freshman anchors to defeat traditional power Neuqua Valley, 364-371, for top honors and advance to the St. Charles East sectional at St. Andrews on Monday.
Geneva and West Aurora, which had the medalist in senior Madison Whitt, went to a tiebreaker to declare a third team qualifier when the squads deadlocked at 373.
The Vikings were also awarded with their first trip to the sectional behind matching fifth cards from Shannon Delaney and Melanie Schlenker (102s).
"To be a part of this in my freshman season is an amazing feeling," said Lehman, who tied Neuqua Valley three-time state qualifier Hannah Buck for second. "My coach (Leon Pedraza) told me to just play each hole shot to shot."
The surprising Batavia triumph overshadowed a dog-eat-dog scramble for the third sectional berth.
Rosary, which had three at-large qualifiers, and Waubonsie Valley, with two sectional entrants, finished 3 and 5 shots, respectively, out of the tiebreaker.
But the day belonged to Batavia overall; Jessica Serrate and Megan Ramp put the Bulldogs over the top with their 97 and 99.
"My goal was to break 90, so I'm happy as far as my individual score is concerned," Cullerton said. "To win (the team title) is amazing."
"I felt confident going in that we could be in the top two," Pedraza said. "(The girls) have really put out the effort the past couple of months."
Geneva eked out the third team spot with Kelsey Kale and Kim Connor posting respective rounds of 89 and 91.
"In the backs of our minds we expected to get out," Kale said. "But we didn't expect it to be this close."
Seniors Lindsey Fansler and Kendall McCleary solidified the Vikings' position with a 95 and 98.
It was heartbreak city for West Aurora; Whitt was seemingly poised to put the entire team on her back with her career-low round of 79.
The senior made the turn in 41 and birdied the second inward-nine hole, only to one-up herself with a 35-foot par save on the next.
"We're disappointed we came up short (as a team), but we are satisfied with the season we had," Whitt said. "I did fine on the front (nine) and played it safe on the back."
The Blackhawks' Stephanie Lage made the individual cut with a 94.
Kaneland sophomore Hayley Guyton is safely in the field at St. Andrews; the returning state qualifier fired an 83 to finish third overall.
"I can't complain,' Guyton said. "I have really tried to work on my game. It's starting to come."
Natalie Haines, Lauren Hoss and Amanda Daukas are sectional-bound for Rosary.
"I thought we had a legitimate chance to be in the top three," Rosary coach Scott Walker said.
Neuqua Valley coach John Keller had been through this drill before.
"We've seen this at other regionals where once the scores start coming in that we could either win it or come in sixth," Keller said. "This has been my goal all season for this team - to get to the sectional as a team."
As has been the case the past three seasons, the Wildcats' fortunes were anchored by Buck.
The senior had a disappointing front-nine 42, but recovered from an inward-nine double bogey with 7 pars in framing a 39 coming home.
"I would have felt terrible if we didn't make it (as a team) by a couple of strokes when I didn't play my best," Buck said. "I didn't really make any big putts all day."
Chloe Nettleton posted an 88 for Neuqua Valley, and the team score was rounded out by Therese Long and Olivia Suber.
Waubonsie Valley had consolation individual berths from Cherise Mangel (93) and Debbie Bornok (95) to offset its sixth-place team result.
"Just another learning experience," said Waubonsie Valley coach John Farnan. "A shot here or there could have been the difference. I'm happy for Cherise and Debbie."
Alissa Fahrenz missed the individual cut by a stroke for Waubonsie Valley.