Miller's 34 sparks Stevenson at regional

Stephanie Miller couldn't have picked a better time to produce one of finest nine-hole rounds of her golfing career.

After a 4-over 40 on the front nine at the Deerfield Golf Course, the Stevenson sophomore lit up the back nine with a 2-under 34, giving her the individual championship of the Class 2A Deerfield regional on Wednesday.

Miller's 74 highlighted the Patriots' 336 score which put them in third place behind Prospect (328) and Highland Park (336).

The Patriots advance as a team to Class 2A Rockford Guilford sectional at Ingersoll Golf Course in Rockford next Monday.

The next closest pursuers to Miller were Buffalo Grove's Grace Kil and Prospect's Christine Garmoe, who shot 79s.

Other contributing scores for coach Andy Coneen's Patriots were junior Claire Lavezzorio (84), senior Nicole Crosby (85) and junior Mary Beth Popielewski (107).

Lavezzorio and Crosby each fired 40s on the back nine.

Miller said a score of 8 on the par 5 No. 2 hole sparked her game.

“After that, I said ‘I've got to get this back,' said Miller, who also won a regional title as a freshman when she fired a 71 at Bittersweet Golf Course in Gurnee. “I told myself I had to start making birdies, think better, make better shots and have better focus.

Sure enough, she played the next 16 holes at under-2, and got to under 3 when she made a birdie on the par-3 16th hole.

“I drove pretty well most of the day, Miller said. “My irons helped me come back. I had some good approach shots. And had some 1-putts.

Her putter came up big on hole No. 11 for a birdie on the par 5. Miller had hit a perfect drive that left her 200 yards from the pin. She then played a 3-wood to the fringe of the green.

“I told myself if I 2-putt, I'll be golden, Miller said. “But my first putt went off the green on the other side by about 12 feet. I said I've just got to nuzzle up and get back close and I drained the putt. I was so happy.

Coneen called it “ heck of a back nine for Miller, whose best 9-hole score is a 32 at the Pats' home course, Crane's Landing in Lincolnshire.

“A lot of the girls struggled on the front nine, Coneen added “But she started rolling on the back nine. She was putting great and swinging with a lot of confidence.