The Girls’ Golf Team is off to a great start this season in its first six matches despite inclement weather which has cancelled multiple matches. Conference matchups against Waukegan and Lake Zurich have been rescheduled for later this month at the Scouts’ home course, Deerpath Golf Course.
Last Friday, the varsity team took on Warren at the challenging Bittersweet Golf Club in Gurnee. Six players contributed nine-hole scores, where the top four scorers counted for the collective team score. They were led by sophomore Gianna Martino’s 44, sophomore Susa Carlson’s 47, senior Isabella (Bella) Martino’s 48, and freshman Chloe Lee’s 56.
Unfortunately, the Scouts lost to the Blue Devils by the score of 168-195. Senior leading scorer Isabella Martino describes Warren as “one of our toughest competitors. They have a lot of girls that shoot low.” She was slightly frustrated with her play Friday, saying, “I did not play my best. Recently my golf coach and I have changed part of my swing and I am still getting used to it.” Bella was unable to play in the Waukegan Invitational last Saturday due to the ACT, but her consistent presence will be an asset for the upcoming conference matches.
Bella’s sister Gianna, a sophomore, has also been a key contributor. Her scores have also been consistently low, providing scores counting for four out of six matches this season. She has a bright future with the Scouts golf program and is just one of many talented underclassmen. Her sister Bella says of playing with her, “I love playing with my sister. It’s frustrating when she is playing better than me, but I use it to challenge myself to work harder.”
Saturday was a windy fall day at Bonnie Brook Golf Course in Waukegan. There were 18 teams which participated in the invitational, with Lake Forest falling to 12th by the end of day. Gianna Martino shot an 89, Chloe Lee had a 95, Sydney Mullady counted with a 97 along with Elizabeth Lyon’s 97. The wind and soggy conditions were no doubt factors in their play, adding difficulty to the course.
Coach Steve Johnson is hopeful for the rest of the season, as he feels there are many talented girls who just need to find consistency in their play to compete in the Scouts’ tough conference. The depth of the team is evident, as many different girls have earned the top four scores in matches every week. Seniors Clare Green and Bella Martino look to continue to lead the young team to victory in their upcoming conference matchups. The Scouts continue to improve and if they play to their full potential, they should have a great shot at winning the end of the season conference tournament and advancing in the State Tournament.
