Girls golf season preview

Top area teams: Hinsdale Central, Wheaton Warrenville South, Naperville North, Waubonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley, Naperville Central, Benet, Downers Grove North, Hinsdale South, St. Francis

Top area athletes: Gigi DiGrazia, sr., Driscoll; Hannah Buck, sr., Neuqua Valley; Molly O'Connor, sr., Wheaton Warrenville South; Marissa Miko, sr., Naperville North; Sam Postillion, Kayla Steuland, so. St. Francis; jr. Hinsdale Central; Lizzie Zimmer, jr., Hinsdale Central; Alissa Fahrenz, sr., Waubonsie Valley; Kelly DeKing, sr., Neuqua Valley; Chloe Nettleton, jr., Neuqua Valley; Sandhya Ghai, sr., Hinsdale South; Marin Campanile, sr., Hinsdale South; Sarah Gaspar, jr., Benet; Kelly Carlquist, jr., York; Nicole Bronson, sr., Wheaton North; Cherise Mangal, so., Waubonsie Valley; Emma Ondik, so. Naperville Central; Elisa Palluau, jr., Naperville North; Katharine Gausmann, sr., Naperville Central; Kara Cooper, sr., Benet; Carolyn Wong, so., Naperville Central; Kelly DeKing, sr., Waubonsie Valley; Melissa Rosenberg, sr., Lake Park; Lynn Dreisilker, sr., St. Francis; Emily Stephen, sr., Downers Grove North.

Scouting report: The girls golf season is already in full swing, and the evolution of the sport was a timely topic of conversation at the Naperville City Tournament last Wednesday. Several area coaches were still buzzing about the performance by Homewood-Flossmoor as a testament to the collective ability in the sport. The perennial south suburban power broke the 300 barrier as two of its members eclipsed 70 on the day.

"It used to be that breaking 100 would get you downstate," said York coach Barb Tilden.

"I told their coach that if you counted five scores, then maybe we would have a chance," first-year Waubonsie Valley coach John Farnum said, whose team finished a distant second at the Marian Catholic Invitational.

"It's amazing the transformation in girls golf," said Neuqua Valley coach John Keller, who has a second-place state finish to his credit.

Driscoll senior Gigi DiGrazia has come full circle since emerging on the scene three years ago. The reigning Class A state runner-up has honed her skills playing on the Highlanders' boys team, and there are plenty of equally intriguing story lines to follow this fall in the sport.

Hinsdale Central coach Nancy Ahitow has had a bevy of stars during her career, which will end at the conclusion of this season. Sam Postillion is yet another of the Devils' top-notch players who have graced the area courses in recent years; the junior has able company returning for yet another shot at glory. "It just gets better and better, year after year," Ahitow said of the overall progression. "The (individual state cut at the sectional) has dropped about 10 strokes just in the last five years."

Hailey Koschmann could have been arrested for what she did to par last year at the state tournament, shattering every record in the process. The continued assault on par seems unabated. In addition to DiGrazia, the area also boasts Neuqua Valley senior Hannah Buck, who is vying for her fourth consecutive trip downstate. Wheaton Warrenville South standout Molly O'Connor is seeking a third straight trip to southern Illinois as well. Marissa Miko of defending DuPage Valley Conference champion Naperville North has plans as well for return engagement to Carbondale. There are a host of other players who fell short of the ultimate goal as the at-large individual sectional cut is seemingly lowered every year.

"I would like to be top 10 again," Buck said this week. "My best finish was seventh (in state) my sophomore year."

Miko is the unquestioned leader at Naperville North. "It gave me a lot of confidence going downstate last year," she said.

Benet junior Sarah Gaspar is one of several sectional qualifiers looking to make the next step. "This is the year to get better and definitely concentrate for next year," the Redwings' top player said.

The conference races are also as unpredictable as ever. "I think we're going to be competitive once again in the DVC," said Greta Williams, coach of defending champion Naperville North. "There isn't one big powerhouse this year."

The Huskies ended the two-year reign of Wheaton Warrenville South, where O'Connor rates as the top player. "Having Molly back for her senior year is really going to help us," said WW South coach Art Tang.

But Jane Thompson and her wily Redhawks at Naperville Central also figure to have a say in the final standings. "My team's strength is depth," Thompson said. "We didn't have that last year. Everyone back has a lot of experience."

Wheaton North was in the mix for the conference title last year as well, and the Falcons' Nicole Bronson figures to be one of the top seniors this year. In the Upstate Eight Conference, Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley figure to do battle once again with the two St. Charles schools. "I don't know what to expect," said the Wildcats' Keller. St. Francis' Steuland, meanwhile, heads the strong underclass contingent.

"I have been working on a more consistent swing," said Steuland, who anchored the Spartans' victory over Wheaton North this week with a 37.

The West Suburban Conference does not have divisions for girls golf, but the inclusion of Glenbard West and Oak Park adds yet further intrigue to the conference championship.

Key dates: Sept. 20, Providence Invitational; Sept. 27, Naperville North Invitational; week of Sept. 29 conference tournaments

Predicted state champions: Class A, Effingham St. Anthony; Class AA, Homewood-Flossmoor

- Kevin McGavin