Girls golf: Practice pays off for Stevenson with ninth straight NSC championship
Stevenson’s top seven girls golfers belong to Kemper Lakes Golf Club in Kildeer.
They practice together there, too.
“A lot,” said Patriots junior Campbell Ray at Wednesday’s North Suburban Conference tournament at Bittersweet Golf Club in Gurnee. “And when we do, each practice is purposeful.”
“Our group chat,” added Stevenson sophomore Emma Fiocchi, “is called ‘Kemper.’”
What you now can call Stevenson’s Patriots: the nine-time reigning NSC champions.
Nine.
Coach Emma Degen’s fabulous girls of fall carded an aggregate 300 — 45 shots fewer than runner-up Lake Forest’s total — and claimed the top seven individual finishes, led by now three-time NSC medalist Sophia Joeng, a senior who shot a solid 1-over 73.
“It’s our love of the game, along with playing for each other each time we compete,” Joeng said, responding to the query, “Why is Stevenson such a force on courses?”
She could have added way too much talent, priceless experience at big meets, laser focus, and mental fortitude.
But slack-jawed observers get to do that.
Fiocchi shot a runner-up round of 74, followed by reigning NSC champ Ray’s 76 (third place), junior Victoria Shao (77), sophomore Lily Wang (77), junior Ava Alimissis (77) and junior Nanette Song (80).
“The girls’ camaraderie and drive to succeed remind me a lot of the girls on the state championship team in 2019,” said Degen, who also guided the Patriots to Class 2A state runner-up finishes in three of the last four seasons. “The time these girls spend playing golf … such dedication.
“You should hear them,” she added. “They’re calling each other up constantly, saying, ‘Let’s go, let’s play, let’s work on our game at Kemper.’”
Low rounds at Bittersweet GC’s par-72 track on Wednesday — in overcast, mild conditions — had to be earned.
“It’s not a course that calls for driver off every tee,” said Libertyville coach Greg Pedersen, whose Wildcats placed third (358) behind sophomores Kenzie Christie (83, 9th place) and Abby Feltz (85, 10th). “If you blast driver, on many of the holes, you could find yourself in trouble at 80 different spots.
“It’s a placement course, with the back 9 definitely tougher than the front,” he added. “Plus, putting was pretty difficult today.”
Christie birdied a par-3 on the front and a par-3 on the back.
“A lot of water, a lot of fescue,” she said of the back-9 challenges. “Trees, too, but I didn’t hit any of those. A lot about today was getting to know the course well, because we’re coming back here for a regional next week (Sept. 30).”
Teammate Feltz chose to stop playing soccer in the seventh grade.
“I was kind of tired of it,” Feltz recalled in Bittersweet’s clubhouse before receiving a medal for her top-10 showing. “I realized, ‘Soccer isn’t my thing.’ I’ve been enjoying golf. You had to play it safe out there today, play conservatively. I’m happy with how I played today.
“I’ll take an 85 any day.”
Warren (381), Lake Zurich (393) and Mundelein (475) finished fourth through sixth. Freshmen Annika Tendick and Emily Deutsch each shot a 93 (14th-place tie) for Warren’s Blue Devils; sophomore Molly Marino paced Lake Zurich’s Bears with a 96 (19th place), and junior Lindsey Dasso carded Mundelein’s best round (103).
Class 2A teams and golfers vie for sectional berths at regional meets, beginning Monday.
Chips & Gimmes: Stevenson’s Alimissis finished a Patriots-best seventh (74-72) at last year’s Class 2A state meet as a sophomore. … Antioch softball coach Anthony Rocco also serves as Waukegan’s girls golf coach. Nine former Sequoits play college softball, including three at Big Ten schools. Four members of Rocco’s 2026 squad have committed to play Division I softball. … Stevenson’s Joeng, on Bittersweet’s hazard-laden layout: “I started on the 18th hole and did not take my driver out until my fourth hole.” … Runner-up Lake Forest’s top finisher Wednesday was senior Sophia Maffioli (81, 8th place).