Girls golf: Depth makes the difference for sectional champion Stevenson

Libertyville girls golf coach Greg Pedersen stood atop a small hill at Monday’s Class 2A New Trier sectional at Winnetka Golf Club and looked around.

“I could see 10 holes,” he said. “It’s a small piece of land for a golf course. If you stray, you’re not going to find an easy path back.

“It’s very narrow,” Pedersen added.

Eventual team champ Stevenson’s margin of victory at the state’s toughest sectional in mid-summer conditions?

Tight.

Extremely tight.

The Patriots tied host New Trier 308-308 for the top spot but captured the title via a fifth-score tiebreaker and advanced to this weekend’s state tournament at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur.

Stevenson senior Sophia Joeng and sophomore Lily Wang each shot an 81 to the 85 carded by NT’s No. 5 scorer.

“It helps having the depth that we have,” said clutch Pats junior Campbell Ray, who carded a third-place, 1-over 73 to pace the reigning state runner-up crew. “We have such talented players.”

Scores from sophomore Emma Fiocchi (75, 5th-place tie) and junior Victoria Shao (79) also counted for Stevenson. Junior Ava Alimissis — seventh (74-72) at state last year — shot an 83.

“Survive and advance,” said Patriots coach Emma Degen. “The course played longer. And there’s trouble at every turn. Campbell played great, bouncing back the way she did after a mistake here and there.

“When she’s on the green,” the coach continued, “it’s a chance for me to walk away because I know how well she putts.”

Barrington junior and Texas Christian University-bound Reese Wallace did not have to putt on the 13th hole Monday.

“I thought I hit my (8 iron) tee shot over the green,” recalled Wallace after her runner-up round of 69 to medalist Grace Leber (68) of New Trier. “I later learned the ball hit the flagstick and dunked in.”

The hole-in-one was the second of her career, with the first occurring at Poplar Creek at the age of 8, when the iron she used on that day matched her age.

Wallace, fourth (71-73) at the 2024 state meet, went 5-under-par on the back-9 on Monday.

“Reese has all the shots and she’s the ultimate competitor,” said Barrington coach Tim Martin, whose Fillies finished in fourth place (322), one spot behind the sectional’s last state team qualifier (third-place and two-time 2A reigning state champion Glenbrook North, 317) in a field that featured six of the state’s top eight teams.

“She wanted nothing more today than to advance to state with all of her teammates. That’s Reese’s mindset when she competes for our program at a sectional.”

Barrington junior Teagan Carden, like Wallace, secured a state berth as one of the sectional’s 10 individual state qualifiers. Carden’s 79 included birdies on 2 of the last 3 holes. She thwacked a 270-yard drive ahead of her birdie on the par-5 18.

“Teagan is one of the best players in the state,” said Martin.

Lake Park senior Isha Patel (75, 5th-place tie) was one of three Lancers to earn a trip to Decatur as an individual qualifier. Juniors Amaani Patel (78) and Samantha Rottinger (78) were the others.

“I pulled my driver out only three or four times today,” Isha Patel said after qualifying for state for the first time. “I used my 4 hybrid a lot and told myself, ‘Let’s play boring golf.’ Narrow courses make me nervous. I didn’t put pressure on myself and played much better than I did in the regional.

“I had fun.”

Patel 2-putted for birdie on 18. Her approach on the final hole traveled 180 yards off her 4 hybrid.

Four other Mid-Suburban League golfers get to compete one more weekend this fall: Buffalo Grove senior Courtney Beerheide (76); Fremd senior Merritt Bell (77) and junior Alia Brazeau (78); and Conant sophomore Madeline Gutierrez (77).

Lake Park and Fremd tied for fifth-place with 323s, followed by Loyola Academy (347), Libertyville (352), Buffalo Grove (363), Carmel Catholic (391), Evanston (402) and Lakes (419).