The best season in Evanston’s girls golf history found the Wildkits unable to clear the final hurdle Monday at the Class 2A New Trier Sectional tournament.
But after advancing to the sectional for the first time ever with a full team, the Kits can’t wait for next year when they’ll all return for another try.
After posting four scores under 100 at the regional to keep their season alive, Coach Karilyn Joyce’s squad couldn’t match that effort Monday at Winnetka Golf Course.
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Junior Tessa Harvey’s 93 showed the way, but the Kits also counted a 102 from sophomore Vivian Gomberg, a 104 from Gemma Sheehan and a 105 from junior Kayla Benson. Freshman Nia Henderson, who might be the most promising player in the program, contributed a 122.
It all added up to a team score of 402, 11th in the 12-team field. New Trier and Stevenson tied for the team title with identical totals of 308, and Glenbrook North also advanced to the Illinois High School Association state finals in Decatur with a score of 317.
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“It was a tough day on a course that was longer and tougher than the regional,” Joyce pointed out. “Today just wasn’t their day. That was the longest course we’ve played this year. I think one problem was that they put so much pressure on themselves. All they could think about was what they did wrong, and you can’t play like that.
“Tessa Harvey did a very nice job. Her head was very much into the game and she controls her emotions very well. The others all have to work on that on a daily basis between now and next season. They all improved a lot this year and these are great kids. I’m excited to see what they can do next year.
“Today Kayla Benson shot 60 something on the back nine --- we played those holes first --- and then she shaved like 20 strokes off her score on the front nine. That was incredible! She’s improved so much from last year to this year because she did a lot of work in the off-season. And they’re all talking about doing stuff (training) this winter together and taking lessons, whatever it takes. I guess you could say that now they have a fever for it.”
Joyce noted that the program’s depth has never been better and that makes for a more competitive environment, with players moving up and down between the varsity and JV levels based on their performances. And it definitely helps that more girls in the community are playing the sport at younger ages, a contrast to when Joyce first joined the coaching staff and many of the players hadn’t picked up a club before they started high school.
The times are changing at ETHS.
“This is the best depth we’ve ever had. I have a couple of freshmen and a couple of sophomores who are nipping at the heels of the girls who played varsity,” said Joyce. “That’s a great problem for a coach to have.
“It was just great that the whole team got out (of the regional) this year. Now we’ll see if we can build on that.”
