Elgin Courier-News’ girls golf preview

Updated: August 25, 2011 10:46PM

Bartlett/South Elgin/Streamwood Co-op

Coach: John O’Brien

2010 record: N/A.

Top returners: Senior Sam Coyne; juniors Alexis Anderson, Lea Skuteris; sophomores Rachel Iacopetti, Kennede Miller.

Key newcomers: Carly Lang, Noor Khan, Megan Slowik, Kristi Struck.

Outlook: Coyne, a Bartlett student, returns after reaching the state meet as a sophomore and sectionals as a junior to lead the team. Anderson and Skuteris, both of South Elgin, return for their second seasons on the varsity team. Miller is a two-sport athlete at South Elgin, also playing basketball.

Burlington Central

Coach: Deb Twenhafel

2010 record: Fourth in Big Northern Conference.

Top returners: Seniors Haley Albamonte, Alex Burnside, Katie Cappas, Kayla Hernandez; junior Kayla Wolf; sophomore Jenna Kurosky.

Key newcomers: Junior Katie DeBaets.

Outlook: The Rockets return a roster heavy on veterans as they look to improve on last season’s finish. Kurosky has stood out so far after playing on the varsity team last year as a freshman. Things got a whole lot easier for the entire Big Northern Conference with Hampshire leaving the league. Twenhafel is hoping her veteran squad can take advantage of that.

Dundee-Crown

Coaches: Laura Herb and Robin Jeffers

2010 record: Fifth place in the Fox Valley Conference.

Top returners: Seniors Carrie Johnsen, Kristin Kaufhold, Sara Tompkins; juniors Rianna Hansen, Alexis Howe, Andi Huml, Sarah Simon, Lauren Wendt; sophomores Morgan Howe, Caroline Hutton, Tyler Kollin.

Key newcomers: Freshmen Brooke Hayes, Madeline Hunsberger.

Outlook: The Chargers boast a large number of players, many of whom have varsity experience, as they look to make a move up the conference standings. Johnsen is recovering from a broken wrist. Herb and Jeffers are encouraged by the play of their two freshmen, Hayes and Hunsberger.

Hampshire

Coach: Sue Ellett

2010 record: 14-0 record, Big Northern Conference champions for the third straight season, regional champions.

Top returners: Senior Connie Ellett.

Key newcomers: Juniors Christina Potempa, Janay Zirk; freshmen Samantha Sarullo, Megan Wunglueck.

Outlook: The team is extremely inexperienced behind Connie Ellett, who has reached the state meet for the past two seasons. Ellett figures to be amongst the area’s top players yet again. Potempa and Zirk saw limited varsity action last year but will be counted on this season. Sarullo and Wunglueck are new to the game of golf as the Whip-Purs head into their first season in the Fox Valley Conference.

Huntley

Coach: Ann Christiansen

2010 record: Fourth place in the Fox Valley Conference.

Top returners: Zoe Dowell, Lorin Gorecki, Natalie Nystrom, Danielle Smith, Gabby Young.

Key newcomers: Jayde Jungwirth, Alix Rhode, Leah Virzi, Gillian Young.

Outlook: Christiansen admits that this will be a young team for the Red Raiders this fall, but she is hopeful that they will be able to put things together over the next six weeks to make a push toward the top three spots in the FVC.

Jacobs

Coach: Megan Placko

2010 record: 4-6 overall, third in Fox Valley Conference.

Top returners: Senior Allyson Morton; juniors Danielle Nason, Victoria Tamburrino, Kaitlynn Woloszyk; sophomores Carly Andersen, Michelle Lamblin, Kelly Morton, Jacinda Wagener.

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: Placko has high hopes for a team loaded with returning players, though featuring only one senior in the regular rotation. Despite the team’s youth, the Golden Eagles should be poised to improve on last season’s 4-6 mark, which is the main goal for Placko, who is in her debut season as the Jacobs coach.

Larkin/Elgin Co-op

Coach: Amy Silverman

2010 record: N/A

Top returners: Juniors Samantha Hennig, Alison Smith; sophomore Denise Lorenz.

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: Smith is the key to this squad, coming off a sectional appearance as a sophomore last year. The team is young across the board and will have to improve as the season moves on to be competitive.

St. Charles North

Coach: Chris Patrick

2010 record: Upstate Eight Conference champions.

Top returners: Senior Sarah Wolfe; juniors Arianna Furrie, Jordyn McFarlane; sophomore Jessica Grill.

Key newcomers: Senior Margaret Zimmer; sophomore Jorie Hurckes; freshman Alina O’Donnell.

Outlook: Despite winning the conference tournament with a school-record 328 last year, the North Stars were shut out of the state meet for only the second time in Patrick’s nine years as head coach. Furrie should turn that around this season, however. She’s one of the top players in the area. Patrick says that numbers in the program are slightly down this year, but that the group in place should keep North competitive.

St. Edward

Coach: Brianna Lamp

2010 record: N/A

Top returners: Sophomores Lizzie Jazwice, Elizabeth Lamp.

Key newcomers: Freshmen Kelly Schuck, Ryann Scully.

Outlook: Brianna Lamp inherits quite a rebuilding project in her first season as the Green Wave head coach. But Jazwice and Elizabeth Lamp return with some varsity experience that will hopefully help out. Both have experience that Brianna Lamp hopes will rub off on the even younger players.

Compiled by Paul Johnson. Editor’s note: Any local teams that are not included did not respond to information requests.

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