Glenbard South Raiders

Conference Western Sun
Home course Western Acres Golf Course, 2400 W. Butterfield Rd., Lombard
Last year’s results 2008 is first season
Coach Kevin Berner

Top players
Samantha D’Adamo    sr.
Amanda Fazzari           jr.
Jenna McGinnis           sr.
Breanna Peterson        fr.
Marcy Rudins                jr.
Jessica Yocum              fr.

KEY MEETS
Aug. 19 vs. Glenbard East
Aug. 21 at   York
Aug. 25 at   Glenbard West

OUTLOOK
The inaugural season of girls golf at Glenbard South tees off this season, and the Raiders couldn’t have picked a better coach. Kevin Berner started the girls soccer program at Jones Prep in Chicago and is bringing his positive attitude to South’s links team.

“There’s general excitement,” Berner said. “The girls appreciate this opportunity and I appreciate this opportunity.”

Berner doesn’t foresee his team taking home a regional title but that was never the goal.

“There’s going to be a lot of teaching,” Berner said. “My hope is the girls learn how much you can improve simply by playing everyday.”

Berner said Fazzari and Peterson look the most comfortable on the course and could be the pair that leads the Raiders this season, though he said D’Adamo, McGinnis, Rudins and Yocum will be in the mix as well.

South won’t overtake the world in one season, but Berner hopes that the lessons learned this season can lead to even greater success down the line as the young team (D’Adamo and McGinnis are the only seniors) learns the ropes.

“In golf you can over-teach and over-instruct,” Berner said. “My approach is to allow the girls to make mistakes and then go back and correct them if they’re big mistakes.

“We don’t have that golfer that’s been playing since she was four and hits the ball straight all the time and has the best clubs, but all the things are going in the right direction.”

St. Francis Spartans

AT A GLANCE
Conference Suburban Catholic
Home course Arrowhead
Last year’s results 2nd at St. Charles East Class AA regional; 7th at St. Ignatius sectional
Coach Matt Walsh (1st year)

Top returners
Kayla Stueland    sr.
Lynn Dreisilker    sr.
Maggie Kilrea      sr.

Key newcomers
Megan Vanthournout    fr.

KEY MEETS
Aug 23 at    Rock Falls Invitational
Aug 24 at    York Invitational
Sept 20 at   Providence 20th Celtic Swing

OUTLOOK
The Spartans are coming off a campaign that saw them hang with the big schools, advancing to the Class AA sectional after finishing second at the St. Charles East regional.

St. Francis returns a healthy portion of that squad, led by Stueland, who had an impressive freshman campaign. Dreisilker and Kilrea were also contributors last season and will play bigger roles this time around. But depth could be an issue with only seven girls on the roster.

“We are looking to make small steps,” Walsh said. “With only seven girls coming out, we will rely on Kayla, Lynn and Maggie. We hope to be competitive in the Suburban Catholic Conference and just build the program up.

“We had a meeting and being competitive in the SCC was one of the main goals. That is what the girls are playing for and also to stay competitive in all the meets we play.”

Walsh, who student taught at the school before working at St. Joseph High School a year ago, is in his first year as head of the program.

“I am looking forward to the upcoming season,” Walsh said, “and the opportunity to work with the girls and to see what they can do.”

Wheaton North Falcons

AT A GLANCE
Conference DuPage Valley
Home course Arrowhead Golf Course, 26W151 Butterfield Road, Wheaton
Last year’s results Third in DVC, fourth at St. Charles East regional, three sectional qualifiers
Coach Karen Calabrese, 1st year

Top returners

Rachel Bradley        sr.

Nicole Bronson        sr.

Elyssa Cassine        jr.

Kim DeBiase             sr.

Allison Fountain       sr.

Promising newcomers

Maddie Bucheit       jr.

Natalie Kinsey         soph.

KEY MEETS
Aug. 23 at      Joliet Township Invite
Sept. 2 vs.      Batavia
Sept. 11 vs.   Wheaton Warrenville South
Sept. 20 at     Providence Invite
Sept. 29 at     DVC Tournament

OUTLOOK
Nine seniors depart from last year’s team (including sectional qualifiers Allie Cerone and Jordan Heinlein)  but the Falcons never stay down for long.

Bronson is the undisputed No. 1 and will be the scorer the Falcons lean on this season.

"She's the constant," Calabrese said. "She looks really good."

After Bronson the rest of the roster is in flux and Calabrese will be looking for consistent scores from the rest of the varsity squad.

"There are a couple girls close who could score (for us on a consistent basis), but it depends on much improvement they have before the end of the season. That's going to determine how we finish this season."

Calabrese should have her team ready for a postseason push and the schedule should certainly help the cause.

By the time the Falcons reach the postseason in early Oct. they will have already endured their share of pressure situations. Thursday’s opening dual with St. Francis starts off the rugged slate, and along the way Wheaton North will face St. Charles North, Batavia, York and Downers Grove North in nonconference action and participate in tournaments hosted by Joliet, Providence and Prospect.

The always-challenging DVC should also help North prepare for the late push, and another handful of sectional qualifiers, not to mention a team berth, isn’t out of the question.

Glenbard West Hilltoppers

AT A GLANCE
Conference West Suburban Silver
Home course Village Links of Glen Ellyn, 485 Winchell Way, Glen Ellyn; Glendale Lakes Golf Club, 1550 President St., Glendale Heights
Last year’s results 2008 is first season
Coach Sarah Jung, 1st year

Top players

Meredith Berke      fr.

Sam Heil                 jr.

Brooke Kochevar  fr.

Claire Lupo            soph.

Ruth Mulvihill         jr.

Kelli Pryde              fr.

KEY MEETS
Aug. 22     vs. Fenwick
Aug. 23     at West Aurora Invite
Sept. 3      vs. Geneva
Sept. 25    vs. Neuqua Valley
Sept. 30    at WSS Tournament

OUTLOOK
Nothing is going to come easy in the Hilltoppers’ debut season, but postseason success isn’t that far out of the picture as they won’t shy away from playing some stiff competition.

It started with Monday’s dual against Hinsdale South and continues throughout the season, but the first week of the season is a microcosm with duals against Oak Park-River Forest, St. Charles North and Fenwick preceding Saturday’s West Aurora Invite. Geneva, Lake Park, York, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley also loom on the schedule.

"Our first match, even though we didn't win, we played really well,": Jung said. "The girls made a lot of really good shots."

Considering most of the girls on the team hadn't played a competitive round in their lives prior to the first dual, that's a step in the right direction.
While goals in terms of wins and losses usually aren’t the focus of a new program, the Hilltoppers could sneak a few wins as home courses Village Links and Glendale Lakes can be unkind to those unfamiliar with their intricacies.

"The first goal is to have fun and enjoy the sport," Jung said. "Learn about the rules, etiquette, swinging, putting, chipping and pitching, learn the fundamentals and learn what it takes to improve."

Wheaton South Tigers

AT A GLANCE
Conference DuPage Valley
Home course Arrowhead Golf Club, 26W151 Butterfield Road, Wheaton
Last year’s results second in the conference; seventh at the Class AA St. Charles East regional; one state qualifier
Coach Art Tang (4th season)

Top returners
Molly O’Connor       sr.
Lauren Davis           sr.
Maggie Mangen      sr.
Kellie Armbrust        sr.
Amy Wood                jr.
Mallory Glanzman   jr.
Sarah Skurla            so.

Promising newcomer
Emily Johnson         fr.

KEY MEETS
Sept. 4        vs. Naperville North
Sept. 20      at Providence Catholic Invite
Sept. 27      at Naperville North Invite
Sept. 29      at DVC Tournament

OUTLOOK
Naperville North ended the Tigers’ two-year conference run last season, but O’Connor, a two-time state qualifier, is one of the best players in the western suburbs.

“Having Molly back for her senior year is a big advantage for us,” Tang said. “We’re looking for some of the other girls to step up.”

The most likely candidate to augment O’Connor is Skurla, who is returning for her second year on varsity as a sophomore.

“Sarah Skurla has worked really hard over the summer and definitely improved her scores,” Tang said.

WWS has been a mainstay at some of the most prestigious girls tournaments in the state at Providence and Naperville North the past decade.