Prospect sails to Day 1 lead at state
The winds were whipping around at a fine clip Saturday on the Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur.
Prospect’s girls actually used the 30-mph gusts to their advantage.
Knights coach Jim Hamann stressed the short game all season, working his girls through countless hours on chipping and putting. With golfers struggling to hit greens on Friday, the short game turned out to be of utmost importance.
And the Knights were thriving.
After day one of the Class AA state finals, Mid-Suburban League champion Prospect leads the 12-team field with a 37-over-par score of 325, followed by defending state champ New Trier (329), Loyola (331), Highland Park (339) and Hinsdale Central (341).
“The wind was pretty strong so we just looked at it as our opportunity because we work a lot of our short game,” said senior Allison Walsh, who led Prospect with a 5-over par 77, tying her for second with Barrington sophomore Heather Ciskowski and Hampshire senior Connie Ellett. “We were getting up and down so we felt the conditions were perfect.”
Walsh, Ciskowski and Ellett all trail front-runner Bing Singhsumalee, a freshman from Waubonsie Valley who carded a 3-over 75.
Coincidentally, Walsh, Singhsumalle and Hamann have the same teaching pro, John Elliott of St. Andrew’s in West Chicago.
“We knew with the conditions many greens would not be hit in regulation,” Hamann said. “So we felt that was a was a little advantage for us because our girls do a good job around the greens. It’s been kind of a team goal this year.”
The Knights’ remaining three scores came from sophomores — Noreen Caporusso (81), Kiley Walsh (83) and Emma Menich (84).
“I’m very proud of the girls,” Hamann said. “Emma did a tremendous job, playing well all day. She has been doing a very good job around the greens and that’s what she did today.”
Walsh was only 1-over par on the front nine.
“Allison could not be hitting the ball better,” said Hamann of his senior, who was named homecoming queen earlier in the week. “The wind does not affect her ball because she hits it so solid.
“What a perfect choice (for aueen) because everything she does for Prospect. She is a leader at everything.”
Caporusso had only one double bogey on her scorecard.
“For the conditions, that was fantastic,” Hamann said. “She putted extremely well and was hitting the ball a mile off the tee.”
Kiley Walsh took a penalty stroke on the par-4 first hole, giving her an 8 to start the day.
“For her to come back with three straight pars after that tells you a lot about Kiley,” Hamann said. “Her personality and focus is probably among the top five in the state.”
Garmoe recorded 7 pars in her round of 85.
“Christine has been leading us all season,” Hamann said “She had a couple of bad holes but she is a fighter. She brings the most experience of anyone on our team and that will really help (today). She will play well.”
Barrington coach Jodi Schoeck loved how her two golfers performed on Friday.
Mid-Suburban League, regional and sectional champ Julia Calbi shot an 81 and is tied for 16th.
“What a spectacular job by both of our girls,” Schoeck said. “I’m so proud of them. That wind was knocking me over walking out there.”
Ciskowski had a triple bogey on No. 10 and came back with 8 straight pars.
“The key to Heather’s success was that she was so consistent in the wind,” Schoeck said. “She was making the right club choices, keeping the ball in the fairway and that made a huge difference for her.”
Shoeck said Calbi was working hard at getting the ball to the greens in the windy conditions.
“She had some long putts but she missed a couple of short ones,” Schoeck said. “She is right there in the hunt. It’s going to be an exciting round (today).”
Fremd’s top round came from junior Angie Kim, who shot an 80 to tie for 13th place with Buffalo Grove junior Grace Kil and New Trier junior Ellie McGuire.
The Vikings’ other scores were senior Christiana Kim (91), senior Madison Zyer (92) and sophomore Jennifer Kim (95).
Fremd is in 10th place with a score of 358.
“Angie played well,” said Fremd coach Christine Vlaming. “I’m really proud of all our girls and their efforts. I thought they represented the school with class and dignity.”
The only other Fremd team to make the state finals placed ninth in 2002 with a score of 734.
“Our girls are going to give it their best (today) and try to get the school record down here,” Vlaming said. “They have a good approach. They want to play better and they know they can.
“And we are so proud of Prospect. We have a lot of respect for that program and hope they can pull out the championship.”
Kil, who was seventh a year ago, recovered after going 4-over on her first three holes.
“Obviously, she was a little disappointed in those first three holes,” said BG coach Matt Myers. “But she was pretty enthused about the way she played the rest of the round. It was tough day with the wind. We’ll just hope for good things (today).”
St. Viator sophomore Dana Gattone shot an 82 to finish in a five-way tie for 20th.
“Everyone was out there for six hours and is exhausted,” Hamann said. “The wind was tough.”
“It (wind) was crazy,” Vlaming said. “You could hardly keep your balance in the fairways.”
Prospect hopes to keep its lead for 18 more holes.
“We are just thinking we have half of a tournament left,” Walsh said. “We are not getting ahead of ourselves. We are just looking to play the hole we are on and not looking ahead to the next. We have to go with that mentality. I think the deepest team will win state and we are really deep.”
Going into Friday, Prospect played in 11 18-hole invites, winning eight of them and finishing second three times.
“We are looking at (today) as another 18-hole invite,” Hamann said. “We’re going to try to win another one. The kids are prepared and ready to play.
“The par for the course was 72 and but I think it was 80 (with the wind on Friday).”
The Knights would love to breeze through one more round and bring home the first girls state championship trophy in school history.
The boys program has one from 1977, under coach George Bork.