Final round on home turf sweet for Prospect

The seniors on Prospect's girls golf team had a going-away party Wednesday at the Mt. Prospect Golf Course.

Playing a high school match for the final time on their home course, the Mid-Suburban League champions went out in style with a score of 299 in their own Class AA regional, besting runner-up Buffalo Grove (318) and Fremd (320).

All three teams advance to Monday's Buffalo Grove sectional at the Buffalo Grove Golf Club.

Ally Scaccia's final round on her home turf produced an impressive 1-under-par 70 as the Bradley-bound senior collected a pair of birdies with only one bogey.

“It's kind of bittersweet,' said Scaccia, who has twice shot 69 this season for the Prospect school record. “It was our last meet here and my last meet with my team. It's kind of sad. I don't want to leave this team.”

Her classmates helped the Knights post their third score of the fall under 300.

Senior Kiley Walsh fired a 72, followed by Emma Menich (78) and Noreen Caporusso (79).

“We're a six-cylinder engine and it's my job to get all cylinders firing at the same time,” said Prospect coach Jim Hamann. “I thought this was a great step in the right direction and next week (Monday at the Buffalo Grove sectional) we'll get all six playing their best.”

“There's not much more I could ask for,” said the Illinois State-bound senior Walsh, who lit up the back nine with a 34 despite bogeying the final two holes. “I'm with my best friends and doing what I love on my home course.”

Fremd senior Jennifer Kim took second place by shooting a school-record 71, which included a 50-foot birdie putt on No. 16.

Walsh tied for third with Illinois-bound senior Dana Gattone of St. Viator, who parred the back nine.

Completing the top ten were Buffalo Grove's Amber Guiao (75), Stevenson's Nicole Marquardt (76), Fremd's Dorothy Feng (78), Menich (78), Buffalo Grove's Lauren Guiao (79), Caporusso and Buffalo Grove's Courtney Meyer, who shot a personal best 79.

Completing the Bison's third-place finish was Colleen Zickert (85).

Fremd's third-place finish also included the efforts from senior Dorothy Feng (78), sophomore Jaehee Hur (81) and junior Kelly O'Sullivan (90).

“We've a got a real deep group with a lot of goals and aspirations,” said BG coach Matt Myers. “They're experienced and it showed today. They came out firing on the front nine. It was tremendous, setting the tone for the day.”

Advancing individuals from non-qualifying teams were Gattone, Marquardt, Vernon Hills junior Kari Lee (83), Stevenson junior Surya Vijayasankar (87), Lake Zurich junior Aine Mattera (88), Hersey sophomore Lexi Heidkamp (89), Hersey freshman Megan Kopeny (92), Vernon Hills freshman Faith Jung (92), Stevenson sophomore Alexia Fidman (93) and Wauconda junior Annette Yandall (94), who advanced after a playoff with Hersey's Claire Schwaba and Stevenson's Stephanie Namkoor.

“That was nerve-wracking, but fun,” said Yandall, now a three-time sectional qualifier who played in the first playoff of her career. “I was shaking on the first hole (No. 10 which she scored an 8 the first time but parred in the playoff). I told myself to calm down.”

Kim tells herself each round to just make pars. Her strategy paid off as she the set the Fremd standard.

“I just want to make par,” said Kim, who sank a 25-yard chip on No. 2 for birdie. “I try to get all my second shots on the green and then not 2-putt. Fortunately, I made a lot of my first putts (including a 50-footer for birdie on the par 3, No. 16).”

Scaccia's 2 birdies came on No. 6 and No. 13, where she sank a 5-foot putt. On No. 6, she punched a 5-iron from under low branches to reach the green in two and then sank an 8-foot putt.

Walsh's round included 3 straight birdies to start the back nine and another one on No. 15. She was playing with Kim. Between the two of them, there was at least one birdie on holes 10 through 16.

“It was amazing playing with her,” Walsh said. “It was really fun because we fed off each other's energy all day. It's so much fun when you get to that point, bump-fisting and hoping for the best from who you're playing with.

“I was really happy with my last 18-hole round here and my last nine (32 on the back nine in a dual meet with Buffalo Grove two weeks ago). I think we can say that we leave our course with no regrets.”

“It's unbelievable,” said Caporusso of the homecourse regional title. “I'm very happy and proud of my team.”

Hamann couldn't give enough thanks to the course management.

“The golf course was immaculate and the staff is outstanding,” he said after winning his fourth straight regional and fifth in nine seasons. “It was the second day in a row they (Mt. Prospect) hosted a regional (boys on Monday) and I can't thank them enough for the support they give the boys and girls high school teams at Prospect.”