Girls golf: Seneca, Fieldcrest’s Jessica Schultz finish runner-up at Class 1A Seneca Regional

MORRIS — Fieldcrest senior Jessica Schultz rode a solid start all the way to shooting a solid 86 and a runner-up finish at Tuesday’s Class 1A Seneca Regional at Morris Country Club.

“This feels really good,” said Schultz, who will be advancing past regionals for the second straight year with the sectional at the El Paso Golf Club on Monday. “I feel like almost every part of my game was really good, but I’m really happy with how I chipped the ball. It just seemed like on the few holes where I came up short around the green, I was able to chip the ball really close to give myself a makable putt.”

Tri-Valley’s Ella Filarski won the title with an 81.

“A big key for me today was that I started strong right from the start. My start gave me a ton of confidence and I was able to stay away from trouble for the most part. I’m happy with an 86 today, 80 is my best and hopefully I can shoot a little closer to that next week.

The Vikings also claimed the team championship with a 395, with Seneca (401) and El Paso-Gridley (403) also advancing as teams. Princeton (415) finished fifth, Fieldcrest (428) sixth, and St. Bede (472) 10th.

Sophomore Piper Stenzel led the Fighting Irish with a 91 good for fourth place.

“To be honest today wasn’t very good for me,” Stenzel said. “I really struggled with my iron play, and I made way too many mental mistakes. I feel like I hit my driver well, and I putted just good enough, but it was just those shots in between the two that I just wasn’t as sharp as I needed to be. I know I can shoot way better than I did, but I’m happy we are moving on as a team.

“This is the course I’ve played since I was little, so that makes how I played a little more frustrating. But all I can do is move on and get ready for next week.”

Seneca junior Camryn Stecken placed just behind Stenzel with a 93.

“Well, last year I think I shot like a 127 or something at regionals, so to see how much I’ve improved since then is pretty cool,” Stecken said. “I worked on my golf game whenever I could this summer, so it’s satisfying seeing that the work paid off. I feel like my drives were the best part of my game today and I putted pretty well on the front nine. It was an overall good day.

“Everyone on the team wants to not only shoot well for themselves, but we all want to do well so we can keep going as a team. So, to be able to shoot as well as I felt I did and to also have all of getting to play again next week is awesome.”

Seneca also had contributions from Shelby Welsh (106), Vivienne Cronkrite (111), Brooklyn Szafranski (117) and Haiden Lavarier (120).

The Princeton trio of junior Reese Reviglio (99), sophomore Hanna Claiborne (104) and senior Halli Petersen (105) all advanced as individuals.

St. Bede junior Anna Cyrocki advanced after surviving a one-hole, three-player playoff after shooting a 107.

“I heard them say my name and then ‘playoffs.’ I wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but when I found out I was immediately nervous,” Cyrocki said. “I was even more nervous teeing off (for the playoff hole) with a bunch of coaches and other players watching. My first two shots weren’t the best, but before I hit my third shot, which I hit pretty well, I just told myself, ‘Hey this is just golf and I know how to golf, so why should I be so nervous.’

“Overall, I felt like I hit a lot of really good shots today, especially my tee shots. They were pretty much on the money all day.

“I came close to advancing (to sectionals) my first two years, so to finally be able to do it is so amazing. I did it.”

A number of Illinois Valley-area players failed to advance as individuals which included: Princeton’s Addie Carr (111), Illyana Jones (116); Fieldcrest’s Alannah Halley (112), Julia Ehrnthaller (112), Olivia Bernardi (118), Gwyneth Frei (123), Abby Greenland (151); Marquette’s Lillian Pollnow (115); Earlville’s Rylee Hill (116); St. Bede’s Andrea Brandner (117), Eden Galvan (122), Mae Hagenbuch (126), Violet Lopez (135), Gaby Martinez (137); Hall’s Jamie Valadez (124); and Putnam County’s Ariel Dorado (174) and Diana Ely (191)