State Golf: Lincoln-Way East girls, several individuals carry area banner
By Logan Malloy For Sun-Times Media October 10, 2012 9:10PM
Lincoln-Way East High School junior Hannah Petraitis watches her par 3 tee shot during the SouthWest Suburban Blue girls golf tourney at Inwood Golf Course Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011, at 3200 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet. | Matthew Grotto~Sun-Times Media
GIRLS CLASS AA
Where, When: Friday and Saturday at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur.
Team Qualifier: Lincoln-Way East
Individual Qualifiers: Alexis Biedrzycki, So., Lincoln-Way West; Bridget Lynn, Sr., Lemont.
GIRLS CLASS A
When, Where: Friday and Saturday at Red Tail Run in Decatur.
Individual Qualifiers: Olivia Kief, Sr., Morris; Tiffany Nugent, Sr., Wilmington.
BOYS CLASS 3A
Where, When: Friday and Saturday, The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington.
Individual Qualifiers: Mickey Brick, So., Providence; Jason Chobor, Jr., Minooka, Nick Petrakos, Sr., Lockport; Matt Stoner, Sr., Lincoln-Way East; Trent Wallace, So., Joliet Township.
Updated: November 12, 2012 11:56AM
When consistency fluctuates, golf can be a maddening game. Luckily for Lincoln-Way East coach Mary McGivern, the Griffins are about as dependable as they come.
East, led by sophomore medalist Kelly Sterling, continued its steady play to finish second at the Marian Catholic Sectional on Monday. The runner-up status gives East its second trip to state in program history.
“The hard part’s over,” McGivern said. “We were able to represent the school and play well (at sectionals). Now we’re going to regroup. We’re going to go in (to state) with the best attitude we can and hopefully play some good golf.”
For the Griffins, they don’t know any other way to play.
East went undefeated in dual meets and championed the South Suburban Blue conference and Joliet Central Regional. The program never missed the top three in any large-field tournament.
The girls will hope to continue that trend as they compete Friday and Saturday at in the Class AA state meet at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur. The program will be seeded fifth behind Hinsdale Central, Prospect, New Trier and Maine South.
“Being consistent is one of our strong points,” East’s Katie Reno said. “I know some of the girls were nervous about sectionals, but I think our experience helps and will help us at state.”
Reno, an individual qualifier with Sterling last season, and fellow senior Hanna Petraitis will bookend their careers with the team finals. Both were on East’s ninth-place team in 2009.
Making it to state “feels like the end of a good reign,” Reno said of her career.
Junior Karoline Pirko and seniors Anna Palermini and Emily Rush round out the squad. McGivern said their additional experience was “critical” to the team advancing from sectionals.
Individually, Lincoln-Way West’s Alexis Biedrzycki and Lemont senior Bridgett Lynn will join East at Hickory Point this weekend.
Biedrzycki, a sophomore, comes in as one of the hottest golfers in the state. In her last three tournaments she’s won the South Suburban Red, the Joliet Central Regional and tied for second at the Marian Sectional.
“I’ve been working hard and this is just another starting point for the other tournaments I’ll be getting into in the winter and the fall,” Biedrzycki said of playing at state.
The Class A tournament will be played at Red Tail Run in Decatur. Morris senior OIlivia Kief and Wilmington senior Tiffany Nugent qualified.
Boys’ state
On the boys side, five individuals made the cut led by a pair of sophomores.
Providence’s Mickey Brick tied for third in the Pekin 3A Sectional with a 75 at Lick Creek, and Joliet Township’s Trent Wallace was just behind, placing fifth with a 76.
“Mickey’s striking the ball the best I’ve seen him all year,” Providence coach John Platt said, who also instructs Wallace in the offseason.
Both are heading for their second go-around at state. Last season, Wallace placed 75th in Class 3A, while Brick finished 84th, helping Providence take ninth as a team.
“I didn’t do too well at state last year,” Wallace said. “I kept within myself (at the sectional). If I do that, I should do better this time.”
“Trent started off the sectional with a double-bogey on the first hole,” Platt said. “And then he comes back and makes an eagle on his next hole. That’s Trent Wallace golf right there.”
Minooka’s Jason Chobor, Lincoln-Way East’s Matt Stoner and Lockport’s Nick Petrakos round out the advancing crew.
“Jason is a good kid and this is what he does, he plays golf,” Minooka coach Brian Petrovic said of Chobar. “I’m happy to see he is getting this payout for all his hard work.”
“I’m proud of Nick getting there and doing it the right way,” Lockport coach Matt Eber said of Petrakos, who turned himself in and took a one-stroke penalty when he stepped on his ball on the 17th hole at Lick Creek. “He’s one of our seniors who stepped up in the sectional.”
