Beacon-News Girls golf preview

Updated: August 24, 2011 7:58PM

Aurora Central Catholic

Coach: Cliff Pensyl

2010 record: N/A

Top returners: Dani Blake, Sr.; Megan Reichart, Sr.; Emily Thomas, Sr.

Key newcomers: None.

Outlook: Pensyl, the former longtime East Aurora athletics director, takes over a Chargers program that did not win a match last year. He has a challenge on his hands with the program low on numbers and searching for depth. His three seniors will be relied upon as the program continues to build.

Batavia

Coach: Morgan Connell

2010 record: 9-0 overall, 5-0 Upstate Eight River

Top returners: Tara Cullerton, Sr.; Marissa Muehlbauer, Sr.

Key newcomers: Lauren Anderson, Fr.

Outlook: Cullerton holds the key to Batavia’s fortunes after a spectacular move to the Upstate Eight a year ago. She is the only true veteran on the roster, however. There are 12 other players in the program, but all of them are young and most of them are new to the sport of golf, so their development will be crucial to the team’s success.

Geneva

Coach: Eric Hatczel

2010 record: 4-12 overall, seventh in the Upstate Eight Conference

Top returners: Elise Anderson, Soph.; Katie Kelly, Jr.; Megan Kelly, Jr.; Abby Luchtenburg, Soph.; Tara Richter, Sr.

Key newcomers: Nicole Hassels, Fr.; Holland Shodeen, Soph.

Outlook: Luchtenburg anchors the team after reaching sectionals and earning all-conference honors as a freshman. Her success and hard work in the offseason is rubbing off on the entire roster, according to Hatczel. The Vikings are hoping to make a jump back toward the top of the conference with a solid group of returnees and some promising youngsters.

Hinckley-Big Rock

Coach: Greg Jourdan

2010 record: Two golfers advanced to sectionals (Brittany Herrmann and Marni Warner)

Top returners: Bridgette Edmeier, Jr.; Brittany Herrmann, Sr.; Marni Warner, Sr.

Key newcomers: Caitlyn Fecht, Soph.; Taylor Prellberg, Fr.; McRaye Scheller, Soph.

Outlook: The Royals are in good shape with their two sectional qualifiers back for their senior seasons and some young talent coming up to press the veterans. Jourdan’s goal is to advance the team to sectionals, which he notes will all depend on how the back end of the lineup performs this fall.

Metea Valley

Coach: Mark Jager

2010 record: N/A, last year was the program’s first at the varsity level

Top returners: LaTira Brown, Jr.; Amy Lundstram, Sr.; Anna Petersen, Jr.; Natalya Schleebs, Sr.; Brittany Smith, Jr.

Key newcomers: Monique France, Fr.

Outlook: The Mustangs are looking forward to their first season with a senior class, with Schleebs and three-sport star Petersen leading the way. Everybody is back, but the lineup is also infused with some youth as Metea looks to compete in the tough Upstate Eight Conference right away.

Plano

Coach: Tammy McGinnis

2010 record: 8-12 overall, third at Interstate Eight Conference meet

Top returners: Maggie Benoit, Sr.; Ruby Chavez, Soph.; Abby Francis, Sr.; Kelsey Maton, Sr.; Kelly McGinnis, Sr.; Dahlia Mijarez, Sr.; Emma Wallis, Jr.

Key newcomers: Araceli Corral, Fr.; Alexa Kallergis, Fr.; Jennifer Lopez, Fr.; Kylie Maton, Soph.; Anne Marie Sales, Fr.; Jessica Sanders, Fr.

Outlook: Benoit returns for her third varsity season after becoming the first girl in the four years of the girls program at Plano to advance to the sectional meet. McGinnis is hoping to finish in the top two spots in the Interstate Eight this season. The program is developing quickly. In the four years of the program’s existence, participation has moved from four players, to six players, to eight players to 13 this year.

Rosary

Coach: Paul Iwanski

2010 record: 8-6 overall

Top returners: Julia Callahan, Sr.; Maddie Kombrink, Sr.; Victoria Phipps, Soph.

Key newcomers: Jenna Streich, Fr.

Outlook: The Royals need to replace the top three players from last year’s roster, all of which graduated. Callahan, Kombrink and Phipps will need to pick up the slack. Things look good for the future, as well, as Iwanski says his JV team is a solid group.

Somonauk

Coach: Curt Alsvig

2010 record: 17-4 overall, advanced to sectionals as a team

Top returners: Kelly Garrey, Sr.; Rachel Hendron, Sr.; Jessica Schultz, Jr.; Amy Swanson, Jr.

Key newcomers: Kylee Falk, Fr.; Courtney Merckel, Fr.; Abbey Race, Fr.; Kelly Zielenzinski, Fr.

Outlook: There are two seniors back for Somonauk, but the top players are Schultz and Swanson. Schultz is putting together a heck of a career, finishing second in Class A as a freshman and sixth in Class A as a sophomore. She also played a lot of AJGA and IJGA tournaments over the summer. Swanson also played quite a bit over the summer. There are no sophomores on the roster, but four new freshmen infuse the roster with some young talent.

Waubonsie Valley

Coach: John Farnan

2010 record: 6-5 overall, 5-4 Upstate Eight Valley Conference, won regional championship as a team

Top returners: Rebecca O’Bryan, Soph.; Courtney Williams, Jr.

Key newcomers: Bing Singhsumalee, Fr.

Outlook: After an up-and-down regular season, the Warriors came together at the right time, winning a regional championship. Now, Waubonsie welcomes Singhsumalee to the mix. Not only is she one of the best freshmen in the Midwest, she immediately becomes one of the top players, regardless of class, in the state of Illinois.

West Aurora

Coach: Chris Soulsby

2010 record: 7-7 overall, fifth in the DuPage Valley Conference.

Top returners: Jordan Lange, Soph.; LaRi Mitchell, Sr.; Samantha O’Brien, Soph.; Alex Robertson, Jr.; Kara Smith, Jr.; Kayla Vicory, Jr.; Jen Waters, Sr.

Key newcomers: Mackenzie Fabrizuis, Fr.

Outlook: Mitchell, who also stars on the softball team at West, is the team’s top player, coming off an individual sectional appearance. Soulsby finally has some veteran depth to work with after reaching .500 last year after a few lean years for the program. Soulsby also notes the fact that his team achieves both on and off the course, putting together a cumulative GPA of 3.6 in the classroom last year.

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