Due to poor weather conditions, scores were up across the board during Tuesday’s Class 2A Waubonsie Valley Sectional at Springbrook.
That didn’t deter Naperville North junior Mara Flaherty and senior Lauren Nay.
Each shot a 74, which was tied for the best round of the tournament. The loaded field included defending state champion Grace Curran of Lincoln-Way Central, among others. Hinsdale Central’s Roshannah Gaur won a playoff for medalist honors.
Those scores helped the Huskies place second as a team, sending them to state this weekend at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth for the second straight year.
“The wind was there all day,” Nay said. “Club selection was really the key today. I’m pretty confident with my wind distances and how to adjust to that. I think that’s what really helped me.”
The Huskies shot a 326, 20 strokes higher than last week’s program-record-tying effort at regionals. That put them three strokes behind champ Lincoln-Way Central and three ahead of third-place Hinsdale Central.
Despite the windy, rainy conditions, Flaherty came through in a big way.
“(Tuesday) was awesome,” Flaherty said. “The conditions were tough, but we just all fought through it. Even though the whole team didn’t play as well as we hoped, we’re going to state. That’s all that really matters.”
North had some scores higher than normal, but an 88 from No. 6 golfer Emma Lin showed the Huskies’ depth.
“Having Emma come in and shoot an 88 for us when a couple of the other girls were struggling, that just goes to show you we can count on anybody to help us,” North coach Greta Williams said. “That was our goal today, get top three and get downstate. We did that, so that’s great.”
Waubonsie Valley senior Arushi Singh made some history, becoming the second golfer in program history to reach the state tournament four times. Current Illinois golfer Bing Singhsumalee, Singh’s teammate freshman year, was the first.
Singh shot a 75 on her home course.
“I’ve always looked up to Bing,” Singh said. “She’s always been such a great role model and a great player. To be right next to her is amazing. It is such an honor. Her and I still talk.”
Kerrigan Boose, a senior who was also on the Waubonsie team that reached state in 2014, returns as an individual for the first time. When she found out her 82 fit into the 10 individual qualifiers, the two close friends were in tears.
“I was still very nervous when I was done (playing),” Boose said. “I had to leave and come back. I couldn’t take it all in at once. It was crazy. It was very emotional for me. I am very proud of myself.”
Oswego East senior Kiana Krahulik shot a 77, becoming the first in the three-year history of the program to qualify for state.
“A lot of wind (Tuesday), but it was a good round for me, though,” Krahulik said. “I got on the green in regulation pretty much every hole but a couple, so that was pretty good. … My putting saved me.”
Yorkville sophomore Kait Natividad returns to state after shooting an 80. Naperville Central sophomore Emma Lim shot an 81 to advance, while Batavia senior Madison McCoy (84) was the final individual to qualify.
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
