Girls golf: St. Charles North settles for 4th at state
St. Charles North faced an uphill challenge from the very start on the last day of the Class AA girls golf season north of Decatur.
The North Stars' three-year standout Gi Furrie aggravated an elbow injury midway through the round at Hickory Point Golf Club in Forsyth.
The remaining five players, especially Megan Furtney, continued the fight.
But it was not enough for a team trophy as Wheaton Warrenville South denied the North Stars' bid with its first third-place result in nine attempts at the state tournament.
Hinsdale Central had few issues in completing a perfect season to defend its team title over Loyola Academy.
WW South, though, had too much depth for the North Stars, who had to settle for fourth, 7 shots behind the Tigers.
"We're a little sad that we didn't make a little move today," St. Charles North coach Irish Whalen said. "The experience will speak for itself in future years to come."
Furtney was in the middle of an epic showdown for top individual honors.
Neuqua Valley two-time defending state champion Jessica Yuen, Rockford Guilford sophomore Madasyn Pettersen, Hinsdale Central junior Jessica Lee and Benet sectional champion Lauren Beaudreau all battled down the stretch.
"I kind of knew but also didn't know," Furtney said of her awareness of the leader board as the day unfolded. "I played my game. I was just trying to take it hole by hole. I'm happy how I played, and that's all that really matters."
Yuen and Pettersen, playing in the same pairing, were tied going into the final hole.
But the Guilford underclassman made a par at the last hole to defeat the Missouri-bound Yuen and Lee by a shot with her pair of even-par 72 rounds.
Furtney finished solo fifth with her 3-over 147 total.
"She was focused the whole weekend," Whalen said of her prized freshman.
St. Charles North bettered its first-round score by 5 shots behind Furtney (73), Emma Hayes (81), Kate Lillie (82) and Sarah Arnold (85).
Making its first team appearance in eight years, St. Charles East finished in the bottom fourth of the 12-team field.
Rose Bundy, Riley Sullivan, Nicole Jordan and Kacie Gaffney were the Saints' counting players on Saturday.