LUERS GOLF DOMINATED BY WAYNEDALE GIRLS

The Bishop Luers Lady Knights golf team fashioned a fine 7-win and 4-loss record this fall. Then in the late season S.A.C. tournament played at Foster Park, the girls finished a strong 4th place, only 1 stroke out of 2nd. Then in the Norwell sectional, played at Parlor City, the underdog Lady Knights finished 3rd place (edging out Concordia who beat them earlier this year) thus earning a birth in the East Noble Regional.

Now, to say that the Luers Lady Linksters wouldn’t have had such a great year is a monumental understatement. In fact, without our very own Waynedale girls, Bishop Luers would not have even had a team! You see, there are only 7 girls on the team, with four of them from our Waynedale area. Number 1 player, Senior Captain, Abbey Waltke is from St. Therese. As is the #2 girl, Kristi O’Brien. Luers’ #3 player, Heather Hendrickson, who lives on Aylesford Drive, attended Memorial Park Jr. High. Andrea Allphin from St. Therese rotates playing #5 spot with Haylee Eckert (Huntington). The team is rounded out with Junior Courtney Seward (Woodside) and Madison Pepe (St. John-New Haven).

O’Brien, a Freshman who has been playing junior golf since age 7, led Luers with an 80 in the S.A.C. tournament, finishing in 2nd place overall to Dwenger Junior Sara Prascsak. Captain Abbey Waltke, led Luers in their sectional surprise with an 86. Although the Lady Knights did not advance out of the East Noble Regional (to state), every one of the girls shot better than their season average at Cobblestone. O’Brien led the girls with 82 (42-40), Waltke shot a solid 84 (40-44). Seward broke 50 for the 1st time on the front nine and had 102 (47-55). Hendrickson fashioned a 103 (49-54) and Haylee Eckert had 111 (52-59). Kristi missed qualifying for the state tournament as an individual by just 4 strokes.

Although Luers will lose Abbey, who held the teams’ lowest average, to graduation, the Bishop Luers Girls’ Golf future looks extremely bright. You see, all 6 of the other girls will be returning, and 5 of them are only freshman! There’s the seasoned Hendrickson and O’Brien, along with the vastly improving Allphin, Eckert and Pepe, along with Junior Courtney Seward. Yes, there’s tremendous excitement about the next three years prospect of Luers Girls Golf. A trip or 2 to the state finals could be in the offering. Veteran Head Coach A.J. Kalver (Decatur) had some great on-course help from Molly Weissert, Assistant Pro at Brookwood, guiding the girls through the tough times on the course all year long. Plus, Sycamore Hills pro Bob Kruse (St. Therese) was instrumental in the rapid development of Kristi in the past 6 months, as her (and Sara Prascsak’s) golf teacher. You see, there are MANY Waynedale connections behind these young girls as well. So, look out next year. The ‘Diaper Dandys’ of girls golf will soon be coming of age!