Jumping for joy

Conant junior Kris Yoo's only varsity sport is golf.

Judging by the vertical leap she displayed on the 18th hole at Bonnie Brook Golf Course in Waukegan on Monday, maybe basketball is in her future.

Yoo jumped in the air in triumph after rolling in her birdie putt on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff to capture the individual sectional title against St. Viator senior Kaela Klune. Klune had just narrowly missed her birdie putt.

"I knew a par would extend the playoff," said Yoo, whose putt found the low end of the hole and spun around before dropping. "I (needed) birdie."

Klune and Yoo each shot 72 in regulation. Klune's even-par round was a big reason why St. Viator (336) was able to edge Stevenson (338) for second place. Prospect placed fourth (339).

Only the top two teams advanced to the state tournament Friday and Saturday at Stone Creek Golf Course in Makanda. New Trier (324) finished first.

In addition, the top eight individuals not on a qualifying team advanced. The individuals are Yoo, Prospect's Melanie Walsh (74), Deerfield's Jamie Lavin (76), Lakes' Abbie Horan (77), Barrington's Taylor Quinn (77) Stevenson's Kaitlin Garske (78), Stevenson's Angelina Kim (79) and Marian Central's Tori Stock (79).

Yoo and Klune had some history with each other. They had met in a playoff last year, and they each finished in a tie for 11th at the state tournament.

After each player had a 2-putt par on the opening playoff hole, it appeared to be advantage Klune at the next hole, the par-4 10th. Klune's approach found the putting surface, while Yoo pulled her iron shot into a sand trap.

Yoo had plenty of green to work with, but it was an extremely quick bunker shot. She splashed the ball onto the green and let it trickle all the way toward the hole. It stopped about 3 feet away.

The (green) was steep and downhill; that's how I had to play it," said Yoo, who only 3-putted one green.

Yoo made the comebacker for par - and that set the stage for her birdie on No. 18.

"It was the right speed, but I didn't expect it to go in," she said.

The key to Klune's round was that she did not waste shots near the flag.

"I made all of my three to five foot putts," she said.

Klune actually stole a stroke when she made a 50-footer for birdie on her opening hole. As her round progressed, Klune quickly realized her game was on.

"I knew I was playing well," she said. "This was the best round I've played in a year."

The last two years, Klune has played as an individual at state. This season, she'll be playing as part of a team.

St. Viator also counted scores from Abbie Dickey (84), Hallie Dunn (79) and Kelly Sullivan (91).

Lions coach Mick Drewes said he stayed away from doing too much watching as the final scores were put on the scoreboard.

"I couldn't look so I walked away," he said. "I (watched) the girls' reaction which was much more fun."

The 74 by Walsh was 1 stroke off a Prospect school record.

"It all came together today," she said.

Walsh's positive frame of mind helps her swing the club freely.

"Hitting the ball well is the foundation of my game," she said. "I didn't want to play tentative or afraid; I went for it."

Horan's ball-striking was on all day. All 3 of her birdies were set up by approach shots that landed within 10 feet of the stick. This helped her overcome a bogey-bogey start.

"I knew I was hitting my irons and drives well," she said.

Quinn's 77 was 8 strokes better than her total at last year's sectional tournament.

"I knew I could do a lot better," she said. "I played a practice round and I took a lot of good notes."