High school girls golf: Huntley wins first FVC title in program history

WOODSTOCK – Huntley girls golf coach Ann Christiansen had a good feeling that this year's Red Raiders might make some noise.

"I thought, 'I wonder if we have something this year,'" Christiansen recalled of August tryouts. "And it just kept getting better and better. They've worked so hard. It's emotional for me. They're such good girls."

The Red Raiders were at their best during Tuesday's Fox Valley Conference Tournament at Crystal Woods, winning the conference title for the first time in program history. Huntley (337) got past runner-up Burlington Central (352) by 15 shots, and also ended Crystal Lake Central co-op's run of six straight FVC titles.

Central co-op finished third with a 355, followed by Jacobs (358) and McHenry (374). Prairie Ridge had a 385, Hampshire had a 414, and Dundee-Crown had a 503.

Huntley senior Katie Matustik shot a 4-over-par 76 and came up a shot short of the individual title. That went to Central co-op junior Renata Petersen, who had a 75 and birdied the par-5 18th to finish with medalist honors.

Matustik was 2 under after 13 holes but was most proud of how her teammates stepped up in a big spot yet again. Two weeks ago, Huntley ended Central co-op's string of nine straight McHenry County Tournament titles.

"I'm really proud of us. There was a lot of good competition out there," Matustik said. "I think we have a good team this year to advance. We're confident with regionals."

Also scoring for Huntley were Lorelei Oomens (83), Molly Baker (85) and Taylor Stephenson (93). Allison Boroski also shot a 93, and, for the first time this year, all six golfers shot under 100.

"We've really been working so hard, so for us to see our improvement from beginning to end, it's a lot of fun," Baker said. "We did it as a team. Everybody's scores have been a lot lower than last year."

Oomens, who started playing golf last year, improved by 19 shots from last year's FVC finish.

"She came to us last year and had never played golf before," Christiansen said. "She had her dad's old clubs. We watched her the first day of tryouts, and she almost drove the green on No. 10 (at Pinecrest in Huntley). We kept watching her, and it was unbelievable. She couldn't really chip or putt, but she could just pound that ball."

Petersen is the third straight Central co-op golfer to take first, joining senior Molly Lyne, who won the past two individual titles. Petersen woke up with an achy back and didn't expect to play as well as she did.

"It's a goal I've had since the beginning of high school," said Petersen, who had two birdies on the back nine. "It's really exciting, and I'm really happy about it. I was just kind of relaxed all day."

Jacobs' Roslyn Leitner (77) and Lauren Kempf (78) were third and fourth, respectively. Lyne (80) was fifth, Oomens was sixth, Baker was seventh, and Prairie Ridge's Elizabeth Tucker (86) was ninth.

McHenry's Sarah Fergus (86) and Jocelyn Currie (89) were 11th and 12, respectively. Hampshire's Gianna Farinella (90) was 14th.

STAR OF THE MEET

Renata Petersen, Crystal Lake Central co-op, jr.

Petersen fired a 3-over-par 75 to win medalist honors.

THE NUMBER

1: Huntley won its first FVC championship in girls golf.

AND ANOTHER THING ...

Petersen was the overall FVC points champion, which combined dual meets and the FVC Tournament.

Fox Valley Conference Girls Golf Tournament

at Crystal Woods, par 72

Medalist: Renata Petersen (Crystal Lake Central co-op) 75

Team scores: 1. Huntley 337, 2. Burlington Central 352, 3. Crystal Lake Central co-op 355, 4. Jacobs 358, 5. McHenry 374, 6. Prairie Ridge 385, 7. Hampshire 414, 8. Dundee-Crown 503

Top-14 individuals: 1. Renata Petersen (CLC) 75, 2. Katie Matustik (Hunt) 76, 3. Roslyn Leitner (Jac) 77, 4. Lauren Kempf (Jac) 78, 5. Molly Lyne (CLC) 80, 6. Lorelei Oomens (Hunt) 83, 7. Molly Baker (Hunt) 85, 8. Maya Gusciora (BC) 86, 9. Elizabeth Tucker (PR) 86, 10. Kelsey O'Connor (BC) 86, 11. Sarah Fergus (McH) 86, 12. Jocelyn Currie (McH) 89, 13. Emily Koh (BC) 89, 14. Gianella Farinella (Hamp) 90

All-Conference: Renata Petersen (CLC), Lauren Kempf (Jac), Molly Lyne (CLC), Roslyn Leitner (Jac), Katie Matustik (Hunt), Gianna Farinella (Hamp), Sarah Fergus (McH), Maya Gusciora (BC), Elizabeth Tucker (PR), Kelsey O'Connor (BC), Molly Baker (Hunt), Emily Koh (BC), Lorelei Oomens (Hunt), Delaney Marcuccilli (Hamp)

Huntley (337): Matustik 76, Oomens 83, Baker 85, Stephenson 93

Burlington Central (352): O'Connor 86, Gusciora 86, Koh 89, Barnes 91

Crystal Lake Central co-op (355): Petersen 75, Lyne 80, Rubsam 93, Maag 107

Jacobs (358): Leitner 77, Kempf 78, Miller 93, Tousey 110

McHenry (374): Fergus 86, Currie 89, Morrison 99, Wolf 100

Prairie Ridge (385): Tucker 86, Gindorf 99, Baron 99, Justes 101

Hampshire (414): Farinella 90, Marcuccilli 96, Konajeski 111, Musiak 117

Dundee-Crown (503): Suwanski 122, Perez 126, L. Rodriguez 127, Nguyen 128