Riverside Brookfield High School junior Harper Jesswein hoped to contend for the individual title at the Upstate Eight Conference Meet Sept. 23. She and the Bulldogs more than rose to the occasion. Jesswein finished second with a 12-over-par 84 while the Bulldogs’ 370 impressively won the team title by 13 strokes at St. Andrews in West Chicago.
“Throughout the meet I did know I was in the hunt for the title and when I realized that, I honestly got in my head more about my score so I didn’t help by performance,” Jesswein said.
She still finished just two strokes behind the medalist, U46 sophomore Lexi Albertson (82). RBHS junior Fiona Lombardi was fourth (91) and junior Lily Martin (94) tied for fifth and awarded sixth on a scorecard tiebreaker, followed by sophomore Nicole Robertson (101, tied for 12th), senior Nikki Ritacca (105), juniors Ana Bacik (107) and Elly Dickerson (112) and senior Alexis Busse (125).
“It was a good tournament for us. I think what happened is our girls were able to get out of any funks they were in in 18 holes versus nine (in duals) and able to correct any issues,” RBHS coach Doug Schultz said.
Jesswein and Lombardi were among the 14 individual All-UEC honorees as the No. 4 and 6 finishers based on UEC Meet and dual results. She earned her third All-UEC honors and Lombardi her second. At the 2025 UEC Meet, Jesswein and Lombardi both shot 91s and were fourth and fifth on scorecard tiebreakers.
“Finishing second was really exciting for me especially because this is the highest I’ve placed at the UEC Meet,” Jesswein said. “This is among my best performances ever. Something that I’ve been working on is my mentality and that helped a ton. I stayed more calm when I had a bad hole.”
In the final overall standings, the Bulldogs weren’t able to capture their third straight conference title based on combined dual and UEC Meet results but they moved up second overall to champion U46 co-op (383) after entering third in the dual standings at 6-4 also behind Glenbard South (3rd, 385). In this year’s home and away format, RBHS lost both duals to those teams by only a few strokes.
“Winning (the UEC Meet) by 13 strokes was really exciting. I think us winning by that much versus teams we lost to earlier in the season showed us what we can really do,” Jesswein said.
The Bulldogs took their momentum to Tuesday’s Class 2A St. Ignatius Regional at Cog Hill trying to advance to the Prospect Sectional Oct. 5 at Mt. Prospect Golf Club. The top three regional teams and 10 individuals not among those teams advance. Last year, the RBHS reached sectionals as a team for the first time.
“Everyone stayed focused, competed hard and contributed to the team’s success (at the UEC Meet),” Martin said. “This was a very pleasing individual finish for me and definitely one of my stronger performances. It was meaningful because I was able to perform well while contributing to an important team victory.”
LTHS golf
Lyons Township senior Grayson Lee found himself in unfamiliar territory at the WSC Silver Division Meet Sept. 22 at Prairie Bluff. Lee was battling for the individual title. His three-under-par 69 ended up second after losing a one-hole playoff with Hinsdale Central sophomore Eli Havens.
“In the summer tournaments, I hadn’t contended for a win so that was fun,” Lee said. “It’s one of the better ones (for me). I putted well, didn’t have any bogeys.”
Seniors Charlie Forrest (71, tied for 3rd) and Braxton Bonnevier (74, 11th) and junior Cohen Bloomfield (75, tied for 14th) also were All-WSC medalists with top-14 finishes, followed by senior Ben Hare (77), juniors Henry Niemiec and Adrian Rakvin (79s) and sophomore Colin Biebel (88).
The defending overall Silver champions were third (289), just two strokes from first-place York, and third in the final overall standings after a 4-2 dual record with the dual loss to second-place Hinsdale Central by one stroke.
“Probably one of the tightest (Silver Meets) over the years since I’ve been here,” LTHS coach Brian Kopecky said. “It’s nice to win conference but now is where you want to make a little bit of a run.”
The Lions compete at the 3A Benet Regional at Naperbrook Sept. 30 with hopes of advancing to the Lincoln-Way Sectional Oct. 5 at Ravisloe. Top-three sectional teams advance to state. Last year, the Lions’ solid 1-over-par 289 was fourth at sectionals behind the top-three finishing teams at state.
“We just have to keep doing what we’re doing and the results will come,” said Forrest, a 2025 state qualifier out early this season with a wrist injury. “It was frustrating. I wanted to be at the tournaments, especially the bigger ones, but I’m happy to be back and ready to play.”
The LTHS girls finished fourth at the WSC Meet (362) Sept. 23 at Village Greens in Woodridge by winning a fifth-score tiebreaker with Oak Park River Forest and finished fourth overall. Junior Caroline McNaughton (11-over-par 83, 8th on tiebreaker), earned All-WSC medalist honors with a top-14 finish, followed by senior Mekayla Genovesi and sophomore Molly Collins (91s), sophomore Lucy Newton (97), sophomore Kate Carlstead (99), senior Mikaela Jones (107), junior Dagny Stromborg (111) and senior Lucy Heflin (119).
McNaughton, who shot 94 at the 2025 WSC Meet, began with an even 36 over her first nine holes with two birdies and two bogeys.
“Just being super focused on putting is a big one for me. I did that really good on the front nine and then on the back I was kind of like falling apart,” McNaugton said. “Oh yeah, I was nervous. I was excited (at 36). There was so much going through my head, like ‘Oh my gosh. This is the lowest I’ve ever shot for nine holes.’ It was all going through my head and then after you hit one bad shot, it just ruins the whole round pretty much.”
The Lions competed at Tuesday’s 2A Reavis Regional with hopes of advancing to the Sandburg Sectional Oct. 5 at Silver Lake.
“I feel great heading into the (postseason),” McNaughton said. “I’m excited for the team. We’ve got a bunch of younger girls who have all grown so much.”