Girls golf: St. Charles North within striking distance

The expected congestion at the top of the Class 2A girls golf state tournament certainly came to fruition Friday in Forsyth.

Fourteen shots separate the top seven schools at Hickory Point after Wheaton Warrenville South, seeking its first career title, became the first-round leader at 298.

But Barrington (302), New Trier (305), two-time defending champion Hinsdale Central (307) and St. Charles North (309) are all within striking distance.

Naperville North and Benet are one and three shots behind the North Stars.

As has been the case throughout the season, the North Stars were powered by Megan Furtney and Kate Lillie, both of whom shot 75 in the first round.

The St. Charles North girls are 4 shots off the overnight lead, held by six different players - including Cary-Grove freshman Molly Lyne - at 1-under 71.

"Overall I thought I played pretty well," Furtney said of her two composite nines of 35 and 40. "I was very consistent on the front. I made a lot of 2-putt pars. On the back it was more of a struggle. I had to scramble a lot for par saves."

Furtney and Lillie, bound for Minnesota, will start the second day in a tie for 13th place.

The North Stars' collective scorecard was completed with a 78 and 81, respectively, from Sarah Arnold and Emma Hayes.

St. Charles East had but one player - three-time state qualifier Nicole Jordan - break 80 in carding a team score of 332.

The Saints are in 12th place among qualifying teams.

Jordan, a junior, came home in 79.

Kate Bundy (83), Riley Sullivan (85) and Kacie Gaffney (85) rounded out the Saints' four counting scores.

Lyne, who plays for the Crystal Lake Central co-op team, had a trio of birdies in a four-hole stretch bridging her outward and inward nines.

Geneva junior Darby Lillibridge, a state rookie, and Jacobs' Stephanie Fiorentino had scores of 90 and 92.