Blue Devils ring up first sectional berth

After realizing it all added up, Leigh Ann Boucher hung up.

Happily.

Warren's girls golf coach used the calculator on her cell phone to help determine whether her team would make it out of the Waukegan regional at Bonnie Brook Golf Course on Wednesday.

It's the first sectional berth ever for Warren, which secured the final qualifying berth. Marian Central (378) won its first-ever regional title, while first-year Belvidere North (386) finished second. Warren (403) followed in third.

All three teams will tee it up in the Rockford Guilford sectional at the Ingersoll Golf Course on Monday.

Lakes' Abbie Horan, meanwhile, lost a one-hole playoff to Marian Central's Tori Stock for medalist honors, after both players shot a 79. Lakes' Morgan Robinson (102) also advanced as an individual.

Warren got past Lakes by just four shots.

"I thought they did all right," Boucher said of her golfers. "Their score was a little higher than usual, but they were thrilled to qualify (for the sectional) as a team and get out of regionals. It was a goal of ours from the start of the season."

The Blue Devils were led by senior Brittany Hippensteel, who shot an 89. They also received a 100 from junior Carly Deblock and a 104 from sophomore Dana Lindelof. Lauren Patnoe and Tara Davies both carded a 110.

"This is a longer course and I seem to have trouble with it," said Hippensteel, who fired her best score by a stroke. "To do well on this course was a good thing. This was my lowest score and I'm very pleased about it."

Horan also shot her best round, as she broke 80 for the first time thanks to a 39 on the back nine. She had an 82 in the recent Waukegan Invitational and a 96 in last year's regional.

"I've never liked this course, but things are better this year," said Horan, a sophomore. "I've been playing here a lot more and playing a little bit better. You just have to play it the right way."

In the one-hole playoff, Stock finished with a par. Horan double-bogeyed the par-5 first hole.

"I've known Tori for the last five years," Horan said of Stock. "I'd be more disappointed if it wasn't Tori (who won). It's OK. I couldn't pick a better person to compete against. We've played in tournaments together and we're about equal."