St. Viator's Klune gets playoff payoff
In a display of the talent at Wednesday's Class AA girls golf regional at Sportsman's Country Club in Northbrook, three girls came in tied for first at 76.
To settle up the Glenbrook North regional medalist, Loyola's Somy Kim, St. Viator's Kaela Klune and Prospect's Marietta Smith all returned to No. 1 for a playoff.
Klune and Smith shot 5s to par the 428-yard hole while Kim stayed behind with a 6.
On the par-4 second hole, Smith and Klune were both on in 2 and faced similar putts on an uneven green.
Whether it was their lies, their eyes or their luck, 2 putts later Klune was the regional champ.
"The playoff went good, it was fun. All of us played pretty well today," Klune said. "I'm happy with my (regional championship), I just hope I continue to play good."
Although missing the mark as a team, the Lions will send Klune, Abby Dickey (85) and Betsy Mleko (89) to the St. Ignatius sectional at Cog Hill No. 1 next Tuesday.
"We just feel proud of Kaela," said Viator coach Mick Drewes. "It's a really great day for us with her, Abbie and Betsy all qualifying.
"It's a sad day, too. We have a senior that we all love in Katie Hastings (who didn't qualify). As great as it is to win something, it hurts when it's their last competitive round of golf. I'm proud of the whole team."
Smith and Kim ended up tied for second in the individual standings, but both their teams will meet again.
Loyola won the regional with a 327 to edge Prospect's 331. New Trier also advanced with a 333.
But the playoff was worthwhile for Smith.
"It was definitely big," said Smith of her personal best round. "It's very exciting. Today, I had a different mentality coming into the day. Waking up this morning I felt good about today. I'm really happy it ended the way it did.
"I had a slogan running through my head today: Believe that you can and trust that you will."
Melanie Walsh was the fifth-place medalist for Prospect with a 79. Alexa Campanile (84) and Michelle Lawless (92) also scored.
But the Knights second place is ever so slightly bittersweet. A scorecard discrepancy by sophomore Karly Grouwinkel resulted in a disqualification. Her score could've more than made up for the 4-stroke margin that separated the Knights from the Ramblers.
"It's unfortunate," said Prospect coach Jim Hamann said. "Karly did keep her score correctly. It should've been an 84. She played great today."
Overall, the day is a testament to Prospect's depth.
"We had two out of the top five," said Hamann. "Each one of our kids has (had a low score). We're going to bank on our depth at sectionals."
"I know that we've had the potential all season," added Walsh. "I feel that we're playing our best when it counts. I'm really proud that we can rely on each other."
Fremd's Claudia Schwan (85) and Kelly Voigt (90) both had outstanding and qualifying rounds. The Vikings finished fifth with a 396.
"I feel good," Schwan said. "I can play better so that's always good. I have to work on my short game."
"I'm excited (about making it to sectionals) but I'm not really happy with my scores," added Voigt.
Hersey (398) took sixth and sends sophomore Catherine Park (94) to the sectional.
"I'm excited. I could've done better but that's OK," Park said. "I had some good shots and I had some holes that got to me. I'm glad it worked out in the end."
A strong round of 83 gives Dundee-Crown's Beth Nowicke a shot at sectionals.
"It went really well today," Nowicke said. "I stayed mentally focused. It was similar to my conference round a few weeks ago. (It was) just really consistent play and being smart.
"I'm very excited about going to sectionals. I went my sophomore year but missed the cut last year. I'm really excited to be going back. My goal is to beat my personal best which was today with my 83. If I beat my personal best I'll be so happy."
St. Charles East regional: Carly Schneider of the Elgin/Streamwood co-op qualified for the sectional by shooting an 87 at St. Andrews Golf Course in West Chicago.
St. Charles North's Brooke Bettis earned medalist honors with a 1-over 70. St. Charles East won the team title.
Class A: Westmont (400) and runner-up St. Edward (438) led the way in regional play at the Highlands of Elgin Wednesday in the Class A St. Edward regional.
The Wave also finished second in the 2006 season.
In fact, after shooting a 409 last year for a second-place finish at the regional, St. Edward went on to win the Somonauk sectional.
The Green Wave hope to do the same this year.
"The course played pretty tough today," said Green Wave coach Mike Lehman. "If your short game was on, you played well."
Playing well for St. Edward were Danielle Coffman and Erin Schneider who shot matching 101s, as well as Hannah Carter (109), Nicole Mattoon (127), Bailey Roth (127) and Brittania Schreurs (143).
"My sophomores (Coffman andSchneider) stepped it up today," said Lehman. "That's really what we needed.
"Of course we're looking to repeat what we did last year and I think we can do that if we keep our composure. Either way, its very exciting and we're very proud of what the girls did here today."
Driscoll's Giana DiGrazia was medalist at 72 and will be joined by individual qualifiers Anne Egan of Willows Academy who shot a 108, Genoa-Kingston's Jen Hulsey (109) and Ashley Wigant (117), Madeline Kukanza (118) of North Shore Country Day, Hinckley-Big Rock's Bianca Edmier (120) and Hanna Vandermoere (121) and North Boone's Amy Smith (122).
-- Jen LaPorte