Lyons Township High School senior girls golfer Isabella Evans wasn’t too pleased with her round at the Class 2A Hinsdale Central Regional at Willow Crest Oct. 1.
Still, Evans qualified individually for Monday’s Sandburg Sectional.
“I’m really happy that I get to advance,” Evans said after the regional. “I did not want to end it out on a bad note so I’m really happy that I get to redeem myself.”
Evans sure had reason to celebrate Monday. She and junior Amelia Van Vuren are returning to state after being among the top 10 scorers not part of the three advancing teams.
Van Vuren (78) tied for seventh overall on the par-73 course. Evans (85) tied for 15th overall and shared seventh among the individual qualifiers.
“The longer you can stay with each other (playing), the more fun it is,” Van Vuren said.
The 2A state meet Oct. 18-19 at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur will be the second state trip for both. They are the lone returning members of the Lions’ 2023 state-qualifying team.
“It is really great for those two to have the opportunity to represent LT again this year,” LT coach Jeff Johnson said.
LTHS sophomore Mekayla Genovesi (87) and senior Isabella Caulfield (93) and Riverside Brookfield junior Lucia Vazzana (100) also competed at sectionals individually.
Genovesi was one stroke from the playoffs for the 10th individual state berth.
At regionals, the Lions (356) were fourth, one stroke behind Downers Grove South for the last advancing team spot. RBHS (398) was fifth.
On Monday, the Lions’ four scores were so good that had they been a qualifying team, their 343 would have finished third, five strokes ahead of third-place state qualifier Lockport.
“Our four players played solid rounds [Monday]. We are very proud of our entire team this year,” Johnson responded.
Vazzana earned her third straight sectional berth as part of a strong returning trio with senior Taryn Schultz and junior Tali Schultz that helped the Bulldogs win the Upstate Eight Conference, the program’s first conference title.
With the Bulldogs in harder regionals each year, Vazzana appreciated another trip to sectionals.
“For sure, definitely a relief [to advance],” Vazzana said after regionals. “Definitely a difficult challenge and this course was definitely a lot harder.
“At the end of the day, it’s just one day, one round. It [stinks] for the people that just had a bad round. I’m just lucky I did enough to advance.”
Vazzana (91) was followed at regionals by Taryn Schultz (100), Tali Schultz (103), freshman Harper Jesswein (104) and seniors Ella Jurgens (110) and Ellie Megall (115).
Seeking her third individual sectional berth as well, Taryn Schultz shared the final individual sectional qualifying score. She lost a one-hole playoff to advance to Addison Trail senior Ava Ferri, who earned her first sectional trip.
“It’s tough. You can’t be disappointed. [Taryn] gave herself a chance and that’s all you can ask for,” said RBHS coach Doug Schultz, who is not related to the Schultz sisters.
At the UEC Meet, the Bulldogs (362) won by two strokes with scores from Vazzana and Tali Schultz (89s, tied for 3rd), Jesswein (91, 5th), Taryn Schultz (93, tied for 7th), Jurgens (100) and Megall (108), freshman Fiona Lombardi (113) and senior Lucy Drenth (115). Tali Schultz also was a 2023 individual sectional qualifier.
“We’re really happy how this season has gone and the progression in my years as head coach, going from five girls before I started to 27, winning the conference. And then to have people competing for a sectional,” Doug Schultz said.
“We have the strong freshmen [Jesswein and Lombardi]. It’s a growing program and we’re really happy with the way it’s going.”
At regionals, Van Vuren (85) was ninth overall and had the top individual qualifying score. Genovesi (87), Caulfield (88) and Evans (96) also advanced. Juniors Winona Waite (103) and Bea Waite (117) also competed.
Last year, the Lions reached sectionals and state by tying for third both times and advancing on fifth-score tiebreakers.
LTHS lost to Downers South in all three regular-season meetings, including the West Suburban Conference Meet.
“We’ve been kind of chasing them and we almost caught them,” Johnson said. “We came up a little short but we’re coming up short to a very good team. It’s not fun to lose by one but the kids worked hard.“