When Riverside-Brookfield sophomore Mayan Covarrubias realized she would have free time Saturday, she practiced her golf game. She traveled with her parents to Naperbrook Golf Course in Plainfield, the site of Monday’s Metro Suburban Conference Meet, and shot an 85.
“I was just hoping to do a little bit better than that [Monday],” Covarrubias said.
And she did. Even with some challenging rain and winds, she posted an 84 and tied for fourth to comfortably earn all-conference honors with a top-10 finish. The Bulldogs (421) were fifth.
“There’s some shots that I want back, stuff that I could have done better, but I’ll definitely take 84,” Covarrubias said.
“I decided Thursday, Friday, I’m free on the weekend. Why not scout out the place where I’m going to play a tournament? I knew the greens were faster. I knew the greens were tougher. And I definitely knew where to place the ball at certain holes, whereas if I didn’t come Saturday, I probably would have done something different.”
All-conference is just part of her progress this season. At the Bulldogs’ Flagg Creek home course, she improved her best 9-hole score to a 4-over-par 37.
At the 2020 MSC Meet, Covarrubias shot in the mid-90s.
“It was my first conference match so I felt the nerves definitely got to me,” Covarrubias said. “Conference was not good last year. That was probably one of my worst total 18-hole rounds, but honestly, I had fun. With the rain and everything, I felt like that was probably the best I could have done [Monday].”
R-B juniors Sophie Swicionis (110, tied for 31st) and Ava Storandt (112, 35th) and sophomore Malia Davis (115, 37th) also had counting scores, followed by senior Elizabeth Centorcelli (117, 40th), sophomore Kate Newberry (119, 42nd) and juniors Amelia Gardiner (131, tied for 51st) and Abby Roedel (145, 58th).
Third-year R-B coach Doug Schultz is hopeful to perhaps add another coach and junior varsity level after this year’s roster grew to 18 with two seniors from 14 with four seniors in 2020.
The R-B boys finished sixth (358) at the MSC Blue Division Meet Monday at Kankakee Elks Country Club in St. Anne.
Senior Jack Jones (84) tied for 15th. Senior Stephen Berger (90, tied for 25th), sophomore Joey Garvey (91, tied for 27th) and junior Marc Kaplan (93, 29th) also were top-30, followed by juniors Murphy Regan (96) and Will Domanowski (100) and senior Matthew Decosola (106).
