Prospect third at Centennial Invite
Prospect's girls golf team made the long drive south on Saturday to the Centennial Invite in Champaign, where it competed on the University of Illinois Blue Course.
The defending Class AA state champs took third place in their final tuneup for Wednesday's regional at the Glencoe Golf Club.
Senior Kacie O'Donnell shot a team-best 78 (fifth place individually) on the par 72 layout as the Knights (345) finished behind Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (336) and Glenbrook North (340).
Amy Hong of Glenbrook North and Taylor Nesselroad of Galesburg shot tourney-best 75s and Hong took medalists honors in a playoff.
O'Donnell was one of only six players to break 80 in the 13-team field.
The Mid-Suburban League champs also counted an 88 from senior Isabella Flack, 89 from sophomore Emma Dazzo and 90 from sophomore Kate Ponzi and senior Sammy Minasian.
"We just want to get better," said O'Donnell, who was coming off her third-place finish at the MSL meet at Palatine Hills. "It was pretty windy and pretty cold. But we need to learn how to play in these conditions."
O'Donnell fired a 1-over par 37 on the front nine.
"My front nine really helped my score," O'Donnell said. "I think we battled today. We have some work to do but I think we will be OK."
The Knights have won five straight regionals under coach Jim Hamann.
"It was a good experience for us to play in the wind and the cold (in Champaign)," said Hamann, who watched his club win its seventh straight MSL crown last week.