Girls golf: Naperville North yearns for new glory
Naperville North is trying to reclaim a glorious past on the links this fall.
The Huskies will undoubtedly be a favorite to reach the two-day state finals north of Decatur for a fourth consecutive year this fall.
Hannah Martin will be asked to assume the mantle of Bradley freshman Mara Flaherty, who guided the Huskies to seventh place last October.
Emma Lin and Emily Nay, like Martin, will also return for a final season; junior Emma Kirvan rounds out the Huskies' returning state veterans.
"Most of (the returning players) are capable of shooting the same kind of score, but not necessarily the type to go low," Naperville North coach Greta Williams said. "We don't have one girl who can go real low, but we can count on more than one girl if someone is having a bad day."
Williams relishes the start of competitive play after watching the Huskies' collective ball-striking skills during the opening week of practice.
"All my girls can have good distance off the tee," Williams said. "I saw these girls who were hitting it really well, hitting the green in regulation. That makes a big difference."
Naperville Central, Neuqua Valley and neighboring Waubonsie Valley are also primed to showcase their talents.
Naperville Central coach Jane Thompson, who has two of the finest all-around players in returning state qualifier Neha Vinesh and program-record holder Emma Lim, readily admits Naperville North is the local favorite.
"I will put the target on their back all day long," Thompson said. "They deserve it."
The week before the regional last fall, at the DuPage Valley Conference tournament - also at Phillips Park - Lim, who qualified for state two years ago, became the first player in program history to break 70.
Thompson, who is retiring after the season, said Lim and Vinesh "could be two of the best players in school history."
Like Thompson, Neuqua Valley coach John Keller routinely marvels at the progression of girls golf since the school opened in the fall of 1997.
Keller has four returning sectional qualifiers at his disposal this fall. Lanette Choi, Isabelle Wu and Sarah Zheng are poised to make further inroads in the state series.
"It's stunning how good girls golf has gotten over the years," Keller said.
To illuminate the matter, Neuqua Valley was in relative infancy when Keller directed the program to a runner-up finish in a single-class tournament in 2000.
Barrington was almost 80 shots better in placing second to St. Charles North last fall at Hickory Point in Forsyth.
"I think our top three have improved to the point where they are going to be darned good varsity players," Keller said.
Waubonsie Valley coach John Farnan is predicting "a definite improvement from last year" behind Emily Skowronski, Kate Libbly and Aisha Iyengar.
"Getting to state will be the individual expectation for Emily," Farnan said.
Brad Lange, who mentored the Waubonsie Valley boys to the Class AA finals in 2003, is the new coach at Metea Valley.
"We don't have any superstars," Benet coach Mike Bremner said of welcoming back regional champion golfers Reagan Rodenbostel, Missy Oei and Emily Budzynski. "I think we have a good chance in our (East Suburban Catholic) conference."
The IHSA instituted a controversial individual and team cut last fall for the state finals.
It was a moot point at the three boys tournaments due to inclement weather, but Hinsdale Central narrowly missed second-day extinction at the girls Class 2A festivities in finishing eighth last October.
"I don't think it was a positive experience for the girls," Hinsdale Central coach Nick LaTorre said.
York has five players back from a sectional-finalist group; Downers North has the ever-dangerous Lauren Schenk trying to crash state party.
"Having five (starters) back is kind of a coach's dream," York coach Barb Tilden said. "They are very excited about the season."
Katherine Lemke earned all-state distinction for St. Francis' precedent-setting Class 1A finalists last season. The Spartans, however, were bumped into Class AA.