Six Naperville area schools made the trip to Orland Park at Silver Lakes Country Club for the Sandburg 2A girls golf sectional on a perfect Monday on the links. GCAC champions Benet Academy and DVC champions Metea Valley are in attendance with their full rosters, while individuals from Neuqua, Waubonsie, Naperville Central and Naperville North are in the mix. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Local golfers shine on the course
Neuqua Valley senior Malar Anand gives herself a good chance at qualifying for state with a par on the 18th hole and a strong round of 85. A 14-stroke improvement on her sectional performance a season ago.
The always strong roster of Hinsdale Central Red Devils is heading back to state with a second-place team finish. Amelia Gambla leads the team with a 73 while Sara Han adds a 75.
Benet senior Madelyn Maldonado hopes to extend her Redwing career by one final week. From the rough near the 12th hole green, she nearly chips one in for birdie. She ends her round with an 81.
Metea Valley is battling the Wings for the final team state spot. Seniors Ashley Jenner and Ellie Buckland do what they can to help the Mustangs qualify for state for the second year in a row.
Benet freshman Bonnie Reeb taps in for par on the 12th hole. A solid round of 84 for the first-year player has the Redwings just ahead of Metea as the day moves towards the back nine. Senior Emma Simkus also helps the Wings with an 88.
Naperville North sophomore Ally Andrews is in the sectional round for a second straight year; she shoots a 91 while her freshman teammate Keira Priess shoots a 96 as their seasons come to a close.
Benet and Metea battle for the final spot
Benet is still battling to hold off Metea Valley. Kate Lewis hits her iron shot off the 12th hole tee box and finds the green. The junior goes on to make par and tallies a round of 80 for the black and red.
The lone Naperville Central golfer is freshman Ahanna Patel. She comes up short of the state cut line, but she pars the 18th hole and caps off a strong inaugural campaign with the Redhawks.
Neuqua Valley senior Aditi Reddy also goes even on the 18th hole par-three. The Wildcat wraps up a great career with an 88, missing out on the state cut line by eight strokes.
Neuqua sophomore Elina Haines looks ready to go in her first sectional appearance. She sticks her 18th-hole tee shot within ten feet and puts herself right on the cut line with a round of 80.
Metea Valley junior Oyuhai Sereenen helps keep the Mustangs in the hunt. She lofts a wedge shot close to the pin on hole number eight, going on to make par and a final score of 80.
Her younger sister Gigi is also playing beyond her years. The freshman chips onto the green and birdies the eighth hole. She leads the team with a 75, finishing in the top ten overall.
Taylor Miller from Plainfield East plays well as per usual. The junior punches her ticket to state with a round of 72, a top five individual finish.
Gauss leads the Redwings back to state
The Redwings look to secure their trip to state with sophomore Lauren Gauss taking her turn at the tee box. The regional champion finds the green and two-putts for par, remaining steady with a team-best round of 76. The Redwings end their round with a team total of 321.
Lincoln-Way East takes the sectional crown
The top team in the tournament is once again Lincoln-Way East. The Griffins are led by Bella Versetto, who just misses a birdie on her final hole, finishing one shot behind the individual champion with a 69. Lincoln-Way shoots an even 300. Sophia Klapper, Hannah Brown and Grace Zhang all fire scores under 80.
Waubonsie Valley senior Siya Sohal hopes to make it back to state for a second straight season. The Warrior shoots a good round of 84, but her green and gold career comes to a close after a par on her final hole.
Mina Shyam brings her best and heads back to state
Her fellow Waubonsie senior Mina Shyam is not ready to go home. She nearly curls her birdie attempt into the cup on 18, tapping in for par and a 69, tied for the second-place score. Shyam is heading to state for a fourth year in a row after finishing a stroke behind regional champion Natalie Mickelson from Lockport.
Metea Valley has one final chance to catch the Redwings for the final team spot. Sophomore Maya Shah gives her chip for birdie a chance, but it stops just short of the pin. Benet is heading to state as a team, edging the Mustangs by three strokes. Shah finishes with an 80 and heads to a playoff with teammate Oyuhai Sereenen and Neuqua’s Elina Haines. Reilly Carlson from Lincoln-Way West, Wakana Hill from Homewood Flossmoor and Sophia Chen from Hinsdale South are part of the six-person playoff where three golfers will emerge with tickets to state.
The first hole gets the playoff underway. Senior Reilly Carlson puts herself in a great spot as her second shot hits the green and settles within 15 feet. She goes on to make par to put pressure on the rest of the pack.
Maya Shah comes through in the clutch
Maya Shah takes her third shot just off the green and places a beautiful chip within two feet. That leaves an easy tap-in for par. The sophomore is heading back to state with two spots spoken for.
Sereenen hopes to join her younger sister and Shah, but her third shot slides past the pin, giving her a lengthy putt to save par. She ends up settling for a bogey, as she waits for help to stay alive.
Sophia Chen and Elina Haines also bogey the hole, but freshman Wakana Hill calmly taps in for par to clinch the final individual state spot. Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur awaits on Friday for the two-day state meet.
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