Girls golf: Breakthrough efforts from Beaudreau, state qualifier Benet

Hinsdale Central is the two-time defending Class AA girls golf state champion.

Fellow traditional power Naperville North once enjoyed qualifying for the state tournament 19 times in a 20-year period.

But it was truly uncharted territory for Benet on Tuesday afternoon at Broken Arrow at the Lockport sectional.

Sophomore sensation Lauren Beaudreau defended her sectional crown by blistering the par-72 Lockport layout with a half-dozen birdies in authoring a 67 in less-than-ideal conditions.

Bella Abdullah augmented the 5-under Beaudreau gem with a 75, and returning state qualifier Abby Bitto added an 82.

When Caroline Wang finished the Redwings' scorecard with a 93, the Benet program - founded in 1997 - earned its first team state-qualifying performance with its 317 total.

Hinsdale Central captured its sixth consecutive sectional title with a 305; Naperville North, which featured the runner-up after Lauren Nay finished at level par, was 2 better than Benet for second place.

"I can't believe we made it as a team," said Abdullah, who will make her third career appearance Friday outside of Decatur. "Our main goal is finally achieved, and it feels so good. It's such a big difference than going as an individual. We will all be together."

Beaudreau, fourth in state last year as a freshman, hit three par-5s in two as part of her 6-birdie onslaught against a lone bogey.

"I was driving it great today and very far," Beaudreau said. "I had short irons into these greens. That put me in good positions for birdies. Everybody on our team is so close. We have all worked so hard this season."

Seniors Rachel Green and Emma Schramko are the other members of the history-making Benet squad.

Jessica Lee and Nay had redemption on their minds after subpar - by their standards - at the Hinsdale Central regional last week.

"I definitely wanted to do better because (my regional score of) 82 is very uncharacteristic," said the Minnesota-bound Lee, reigning state runner-up who guided the latest Hinsdale Central powerhouse with a third-place 73. "I wanted to do well not only to help my team but also to get a better spot in the state lineup."

Nay, a junior, will make her state debut for Naperville North this weekend.

"We played so much better than at the regional," Nay said after the Huskies shaved double digits off their first state preliminary team score. "We needed some confidence back. I had to play my game, do it for my team and myself. Now that I helped my team to state, it's such a good feeling."

Barr played fifth in the Huskies' lineup as a result of her non-counting regional score.

"Today was much better," said Barr, a returning state qualifier who had 4 birdies. "I hit it close to within 4 feet a few times and made putts for from over 20 feet on others (for the birdies)."

None of the six Naperville North six starters shot worse than 85.

Mara Flaherty (83), Emily Harrington (84), Hannah Martin (84) and Emily Nay (85) will be state rookies come Friday for Naperville North.

The sectional had the identical team finishes as the Hinsdale Central regional.

"The talent in our area is just fantastic," said Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson. "It used to be you could get a team downstate with two solid players. The girls from our area basically rival boys teams. You have to have five solid, solid scores."

Waubonsie Valley failed to make the team cut with its seventh-place 351, but junior Arushi Singh will be making her third straight state appearance this weekend after a 74.

"I tried not to think about a number," Singh said. "I just tried to play my game. I had a little bit of a slow start but by the turn I really picked it up. I was really confident, and it really carried me through the whole round."

Downers North senior Rachel Leucuta, bound for Central Michigan, is also a three-time qualifier after firing a 76.

Neuqua Valley had its season come to a close after Julia Rainer found her team-best 81 two shy of the individual cut.