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With the 2024 season getting underway this week, here is a look at girls golf teams/individuals in the NewsTribune area:
La Salle-Peru
Coach: Patrick Goy
Top returners: Allie Thome, sr.; Sophia Chiu, jr.; Delani Duggan, so.
Key newcomers: Quinn Mertes, fr.; Mary Craven, fr.; Charlie Slusarek, fr.; Emma Tomlinson, fr.; Maggie Bumgarner, fr.
Worth noting: The Cavaliers return a strong core of players in Thome, Chiu and Duggan while adding several talented freshmen to the roster. Thome was the 2023 NewsTribune Girls Golfer of the Year after leading the area with a 47.8 average, qualifying for sectional and earning First-Team All-Interstate 8 Conference. Chiu also was first-team all-conference and Duggan was honorable mention all-conference. The three finished 1-2-3 in the girls division in the Illinois Valley High School Summer League. Seniors Makenna ZImmer and Albiona Useini also return. Mertes and Craven were IESA state qualifiers last year. Senior Alexandra Serratos also is new to the team. “This year we have a nice group of incoming freshman girls who that will immediately contribute to the team,” Goy said. “Quinn Mertes and Mary Craven were both IESA state qualifiers and I’m looking forward to them being on the team and helping us succeed.” Goy said the Cavs have the potential for a successful season. “I do believe we will be competitive in our conference this season along with on a match-to-match basis,” Goy said. “The mix of new talent along with the girls who have played the last few years should help make for a strong season. I am looking forward to the freshmen learning from the juniors and seniors on the team and everyone coming together as a team to try and win as much as we can.”
St. Bede
Coach: Rich Cummings
Top returners: Anna Cyrocki, jr.; Brianna Martinez, jr.; Mae hagenbuch, jr.; Eden Galvan, so.
Worth noting: The Bruins lost all-area golfer Erin Dove (54.6 average in 2023) but return four golfers who saw action last fall. Cyrocki was second on the team in average at 54.7 and earned a spot on the All-Tri-County Conference team with a 107 at the TCC Tournament. Martinez, Hagenbuch and Galvan also played last season. Cummings said Galvan, the team’s lone freshman last fall, “is hitting the ball much better this summer.” Seniors Andrea Bradner, Violet Lopez and Avery Entrican and freshman Gaby Martinez round out the roster. “We are looking for improvement, to play a simple game and to be competitive,” Cummings said.
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Princeton
Coach: Brandon Crawford
Top returners: Addie Carr, sr.; Halli Peterson, sr.; Reese Reviglio, jr.
Worthy of note: Carr came on strong for the Tigresses last year, averaging 49 per nine holes, qualifying for sectional and earning All-Three Rivers Conference. Reviglio averaged a 56 in her first year on the links. Also returning are sophomores Hanna Claiborne and Brinley Kloepping with a trio of newcomers, senior Samantha Woolley, sophomore Taylor Compton and freshman Illyana Jones rounding out the team. “We return a lot of experience from last year. Our main goal is to be competitive in the conference, but more importantly, staying in the moment and not letting the natural frustrations of the game overpower us. We have to be able to control our emotions and stay present, focusing on one shot at a time,” Crawford said. “We have a group of ladies who worked hard over the summer to get better. The hope is to see that work pay off during the season and show payoff with great individual/team results.”
Bureau Valley
Coach: David Lind
Top returners: Michaela Noder, so.; Gracie Phillips, so.
Worthy of note: Last year was the first year for Noder and Phillips. The lefty-swinging Noder led the group with an average of 65 and should be the Storm’s No. 1 golfer this fall. “They showed so much improvement by the end of the season, and I hope they improve that much this season, too,” Lind said. The Storm have picked up senior newcomers Elizabeth Bowyer and Faith Hanson this fall, and Lind is hopeful they can take make similar strides as last year’s duo made.
DePue
Coach: Kieran Trevier
Worth noting: The Little Giants have a new coach and an entirely new roster. Seniors Nancy Puga, and Lizbeth Magallanes, junior Stephanie Perez and freshman Melany Perez make up the team and are all new golfers. “My goals this year for the team is learning the game and hopefully developing a love for a new sport,” Trevier said. “Golf is still so new to DePue High School that not many students regularly golfed outside of our team. I really hope to show them a lifelong hobby/sport they can play until they are 80 years old.”
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Fieldcrest
Coach: Lisa Lindstrom
Top returners: Jessica Schultz, sr.; Julia Ehrnthaller, sr.; Alannah Halley, jr.; Abby Greenland, jr.; Madeline Theesefield, so.; Olivia Bernardi, so.; Allie Burton, so.; Ava Meierhoffer, so.
Worth noting: The Knights return a veteran group that had a successful season last fall. The Knights won the Kool Classic, placed third at the St. Bede Tournament and the Heart of Illinois Conference Tournament. Fieldcrest tied for fourth at the St. Bede Regional, just three strokes from advancing as a team to sectional. Schultz placed fifth at the regional to qualify for sectional where she finished three strokes shy of a state berth. She also was All-HOIC. “She is a smart golfer who plays to her driving strength,” Lindstrom said. “Over the past year, she has worked on her putting skills to hopefully move her on to the state level.”
Individuals
Hall has a pair of golfers in senior Jamie Valadez and freshman Emma Spayer. Valdez is a four-year player who averaged 59 last fall. “Jamie’s goal is to qualify for sectional,” Hall coach Mason Kimberley said. … For the first time since 2019, Putnam County has girls golfers with freshmen Diane Ely and Ariel Dovado out for the team. “I’m really excited that we have a couple young ladies out for golf this season,” PC coach Brandi LeQuia said. “I’m looking forward to watching their progress in the coming years and hope we get some more ladies interested in golf at PC.” … Mendota has two freshmen golfers in Kamilah Preciado and Ashlynn Martin-Rickles who will play with the boys program during the season and possibly get entered into the girls postseason. … Earlville has two girls in returning sophomore Rylee Hill, who coach Dillon Reel said has a chance to qualify for sectional, and freshman Rozlyn Sebby, a first-time golfer. “I’m thankful to have two girls who made the commitment to show up and play,” Reel said. … Henry-Senachwine has one girl in sophomore Isabelle Knuckey.