Naperville North's Barr comes up aces

AJ Barr had a long day ahead of her when she arrived at the third hole at Prairie Bluff Golf Course on Wednesday morning in Crestwood.

But the Naperville North junior did not need to bring her putter to the par-3.

Unable to tell from the tee, her first shot was actually lodged between the pin and the cup.

As Barr approached the green of the Class AA Hinsdale South girls golf regional, the ball fell into the hole for an ace.

"It was playing 136 (yards), and I shot my 6-iron," Barr said. "There was a lot of pressure on me for the rest of the holes. But I was excited. I just wanted to not think about (the hole-in-one) and not let it go to my head."

Barr made the turn in level-par 36 and ended up matching the 4-over 76 fired by No. 1 Naperville North player Lauren Nay.

Barr, Nay and Benet freshman sensation Lauren Beaudreau ultimately settled for a three-way tie for fourth place behind a trio of players from defending state champion Hinsdale Central.

But the Huskies' more-than-respectable 327 total translated into a runner-up finish to the powerhouse Red Devils, who fashioned a 295 to win going away.

Downers Grove North needed Courtney Katz to shoot an 85 or better to deny Benet the third team slot to the Neuqua Valley sectional Monday at Naperbrook.

The Trojans' No. 1 player did just that to thwart the Redwings, 338-344, for the final advancing team position.

The Redwings and Naperville Central, fifth with a 355, had to settle for five combined at-large qualifiers.

Downers South and Hinsdale South were seventh and ninth, respectively, to round out the seven local programs in the exceptionally deep field.

Nay, a sophomore, was 2-over on each side to join her junior teammate Barr.

"I was able to get into my zone and play consistently throughout the day," Nay said. "We have a lot of consistent people on the team."

"Coming in here, you didn't know who was going to come out here with advancement to the next level," Naperville North coach Greta Williams said. "We love Naperbrook."

Benet will be represented by Beaudreau and junior Abby Bitto, who finished with an 83.

"I wasn't very consistent today," Beaudreau said. "I just stayed in there."

"(Beaudreau) has continued to impress, both as a golfer and as a kid," Benet coach Mike Bremner said. "She's got tremendous poise and character for a kid her age."

Naperville Central advanced Heather Griffin (84), Lydia DeMoss (85) and Stephanie Robinson, who was the final qualifier with her cut-line score of 89.

"In recent memory this is the toughest regional to get out of," Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson said. "Our road to the state tournament is we're basically playing two state tournaments to get down to Decatur."

Hinsdale Central junior Jessica Lee was medalist with a 1-under 71.