Red Raiders duo to vie for state
Home golf course knowledge always helps.
Two Huntley golfers, Maddie Sloan and Kinsey Hayes, advanced to the IHSA Class 2A Sectional girls golf tournament with qualifying finishes at the Regional hosted by Pinecrest Golf Club in Huntley Oct. 1.
Sloan shot a round of 84 for third among individual qualifiers while Hayes shot an 87 for fifth. The IHSA Sectional will be played at Atwood Homestead Golf Course near Rockford Oct. 7.
“I am so proud of Sloan and Hayes for advancing to the sectional championship,” HHS girls golf coach Lindsey Allen said. “Both of their plays have been stellar this year. I think the competition will be tough at sectional, but Sloan and Hayes are motivated to do their best. Before they left Pinecrest, they were already mapping out their practice times. Sloan and Hayes are both very familiar with this tough course.”
“I’m excited to qualify from my home course because I play here so often. The greens were the biggest challenge for everyone in my group,” Hayes said. “I had a lot of pars and have been working on my short game this year.”
Sloan and Hayes had to survive the elements of a windy and chilly morning to earn a shot at state. Sloan qualified for sectional last year.
“I just go out and give it my best,” Sloan said of her approach.
Team ends 5th
HHS scores in addition to Sloan and Hayes’ rounds: senior Taryn Rainey shot a 97 to finish 21st. Also, freshman Keegan Smith had a 101 score, 24th; freshman Miranda Hoeft, 106, 34th and senior Annalise Garrard, 38th, 109.
The Red Raiders just missed moving on to the Class 2A Sectional as one of the three team qualifiers. Huntley’s final score was 369 strokes. Crystal Lake Central Co-op had won the meet with a 325 score, followed by Prairie Ridge’s 364 and Belvidere ended at 365.
“Our battle for third place came right down to the end. Even though we could not get it done, the Lady Red Raiders still shot their best round of the season at 369. I couldn’t be more proud of these girls and their determination,” Allen said.
Allen thanked seniors Garrard and Rainey for their dedication.
“Garrard and Rainey will be missed dearly,” Allen said of the seniors. “We have been so lucky to have amazing leaders on the team this year. I have coached Garrard and Rainey since they were freshmen. It will be bittersweet to see them go.”
