By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The Eklhorn Area High School girls golf team’s performance Sept. 25 in the Southern Lakes Conference Meet is puzzling.
“I wish we would have played better,” coach Steve Fisher said. “I’m disappointed coming out with the score we did, that’s for sure.”
The Elks scored a four-person total of 456 on their home course at Evergreen Golf Club and finished seventh of seven teams.
Union Grove won with a score of 378. It is the Broncos’ third consecutive SLC golf title.
Wilmot finished second (394) and Waterford third (398). Westosha Central finished fourth (433), Burlington fifth (439) and Badger sixth (451).
The Elks tied with Badger for sixth in the overall SLC standings, which take into account the season’s dual meets and conference tournament.
Union Grove finished first, Wilmot second, Waterford third and Burlington fourth. Westosha Central finished fifth.
The Elks defeated Lake Geneva 225-233 Sept. 5 at Hawk’s View Golf Course in Lake Geneva for their only SLC dual meet victory of the season.
Elkhorn played better in recent outings, both in dual meets and tournaments. Fisher said the Elks suffered from some high scores in untimely situations in the SLC Meet.
“It’s the thing we’ve been doing all year,” Fisher said. “We can’t seem to make corrections. There were too many big numbers on holes, and those definitely add up.”
Elkhorn’s Jessica Barrett shot a 104 over 18 holes for Elkhorn’s best score. Barrett finished tied for 11th.
“She played well,” Fisher said. “She had just a bad hole or two on the back nine, or else she would have been even lower.”
Riley Shirk carded a 105 for the Elks. Jessica Reiff shot a 115, Carlie Hanson a 132 and Breanna Last finished at 137.
Waterford’s Taitum Beck shot an 85 and finished with individual medalist honors. Two-time SLC Player of the Year Mari Suokko shot an 86 and finished second.
“If you’d asked me beforehand, I’d have set she’d be the favorite,” Fisher said of Suokko. “Taitum got her by one stroke. I’m sure they’ll both play well in regionals.”
The Elks play today in a WIAA Division 1 Regional Tournament at Milton’s Oak Ridge Golf Course. The Elks are in the Janesville Parker sectional bracket.
Union Grove played host Oct.1 at Ives Grove Golf Course in Sturtevant to the regional tournament that comprises the other half of the Janesville Parker sectional bracket.
The top four teams and top four individuals not members of one of the top four teams in the Milton and Union Grove regional tournaments advance to the WIAA Division 1 Sectional Tournament Oct. 6 at Riverside Golf Course in Janesville.
The top two teams and top three individuals not members of one of the top three teams advance from the sectional tournament to the WIAA Division 1 State Meet, which is Oct. 13 & 14 at University Ridge in Madison.
