Girls golf: St. Charles North unstoppable
The St. Charles North girls golf team is a scary proposition for any foe this fall.
Returning all six members of its fourth-place Class AA squad from a year ago, the North Stars have four underclassmen among their top-five players.
The girls have been rewriting the program record books all season, and Monday afternoon collectively scripted yet another nine-hole mark at the South Elgin Invitational at the Elgin Country Club.
Monopolizing the first three places behind the sensational 3-under authored by sophomore Megan Furtney, the North Stars remained undefeated on the season with their fourth tournament title in the 14-team field in Elgin.
Minnesota-bound Kate Lillie was runner-up with a level-par 35, and Emma Hayes' 36 was equally critical to the North Stars' 144 total.
Schaumburg was a distant 174 but edged Batavia by a stroke for runner-up status.
Katelynn David was also in the top-10 with her 41 to flavor the North Stars' final counting score.
Furtney was blemish-free with her trio of birdies and half-dozen pars.
“We have had a pretty good season so far,” Furtney said. “I think we are looking to go low at state, maybe even win it. Consistency was my key today. I was able to hit a lot of fairways. I made some up and downs for pars and birdies.”
Lone senior Lillie had a much more circuitous route to her round.
“It was interesting,” Lillie said of her day. “I had a double (bogey) and 2 bogeys and then 2 birdies and an eagle. It was a little bit of everything. It kind of shows how well I can shoot.”
Hayes' 36 also included multiple birdies.
“We knew we only got better over the summer,” Hayes said. “We are always so supportive.”
St. Charles North coach Irish Whalen echoed Hayes' sentiments.
“They all love the game,” Whalen said. “That motivates each of them to be a better player.”
Huntley, Geneva, South Elgin-Bartlett, Dundee-Crown, Burlington Central, Jacobs and West Aurora rounded out the top 10.
Batavia junior Madi McCoy and South Elgin senior Brynn Warrick were fourth and fifth in a scorecard playoff after matching Hayes' 36.
“One-over is my best (nine-hole) score in high school,” McCoy said. “It's really good for me. I was keeping the ball in control and hitting all the fairways. I saved myself (with 2 birdies) at the end.”
Warrick posted a similar career-low.
“It was my best round ever, so that was fun,” Warrick said. “I am pretty familiar with this course. (My success) was mostly 2-putt pars.”
The Huntley duo of Nicole Gordus and Katie Weidner were in the top 10 with their respective rounds of 40 and 42.
Sydney Killeen and Brianna Benjamin had matching 43s for Burlington Central.
Darby Lillibridge fired a 43 to lead Geneva, and Lauren Deliman had the low round for West Aurora.
Jennifer Cappelo and Trinity Corwin orchestrated a second straight top team finish for Schaumburg.
The juniors were a shot off each other as Cappelo paced the Saxons with a 38, with Corwin one higher.
“I had a low number of putts, and drives were going down the fairway,” Cappelo said. “Making birdies on those (two) holes was amazing.”
The Saxons were coming off a second-place finish over the weekend at Glenbard East.
“It's definitely been an interesting season, lots of ups and downs,” Corwin said. “We're on a good track. My play today wasn't what it could have been.”
“We just got second at the Ram Invite,” Schaumburg coach Michelle Hinojosa said. “(Pretty much) against the same teams. That was exciting to put two good rounds together.”
Cheyenne Harris (46) and Erykah Walton (51) were the Saxons' other contributing scorers.
Christina Wood had a 52 to lead Hoffman Estates (240).