Rockford sectional provides new life for Elletts, Horan and St. Charles East
ROCKFORD - Taylor Ellett has been to the girls golf state meet twice before, although never competing with her sister Connie.
St. Charles East has made an appearance as a team 12 out of the last 20 seasons, although never by shooting with the level of depth as the Saints are this season.
Streamwood's Carly Schneider failed to make it out the sectional level, although she came close missing out by a stroke each of the last two seasons.
Lake's Abbie Horan is no stranger to the state meet, although she missed out on winning a state championship by 2 strokes.
Monday's Class 2A Rockford Guilford sectional girls golf meet held at Ingersoll Golf Course in Rockford gave life to each respective golfer or team as both Taylor Ellett and sophomore Connie Ellett qualified for the state meet.
St. Charles East won its second straight sectional crown as a team with all 4 of the Saints' counting scores in the 80s. Horan won the individual title, defeating Sterling's Ember Schuldt, who had placed ahead of her at the state meet last season.
Schneider finished with a qualifying round of 79 and will be joined by teammate Samantha Coyne at Friday's state tournament at Hickory Ridge Golf Course in Carbondale.
East (330) was able to defeat Galesburg (349) with an 81 from Jenny Niemec and Nicole Rae. Kate VenHorst followed with an 82 and No. 6 golfer Kathryn Belanger added an 86.
"My short game saved me," VenHorst said. "My drives were a lot better than they had been the last couple of weeks."
Added coach East coach Rod Osborne: "Kathryn Belanger, she really came through for us today. Depth has been there all year for us."
As have the Elletts. Connie, who finished her round right before Taylor, shot a 79 and clearly looked as if she was going to make the cut to go to the state meet. "I wasn't making my putts on the front 9," said Connie, who finished with a 37 on the back and 42 on the front.
While Connie was confident she had made the cut, Taylor was nervously awaiting the final 8 golfers scores to be posted to see if her 81 would be low enough to advance.
"I was really nervous at the end," Taylor said. "I thought that 80 was going to be the cutoff."
Taylor and Coyne tied for the Nos. 7 and 8 spots. Kaneland's Hayley Guyton (75) finished second.
St. Charles North's Marin Beagley (3rd, 77) was the only non-individual to advance as the North Stars (356) finished third as a team, with Schneider, Schuldt and Connie Ellett all finishing with 79s.
Horan made an unusual discovery while putting in her basement with her dad on Sunday night. She went back to the putter she had used while finishing fourth at the state meet in 2008, instead of the putter she had used for the past year.
"It gave me confidence," she said. "I was putting well."
Schnneider will make her first state appearance after shooting 39 on the back 9 after failing a single stroke of advancing to the state meet last season.
"I'm so excited," she said. "At least I made it to state."
Teammate Coyne, who goes to Bartlett, came in as a darkhorse. She was able to qualify by sinking a 20-foot putt on her final hole to seal her round of 81.
"I wasn't thinking about it too much," said Coyne of the pressure of the final putt. I knew (the score) was going to be real close (to state qualify for the state meet)."