ROCKFORD — Boylan senior Ella Greenberg and Guilford senior Kayla Sayyalinh have been near even since they were the only two in their age group when they first entered a golf tournament at age 6.
So it’s only fitting that they finished in the same place Saturday — with Greenberg second in the Class 1A state girls tournament and Sayyalinh second in Class 2A.
“That’s pretty cool,” Greenberg said. “It would have been nice if we both finished first, but what we accomplished is still amazing. I’m proud of both of us.”
Three Rockford golfers began the final day of state tied for first and a fourth golfer was only two strokes back. None of them won, but all were among six local players who earned a top-10 state medal and the Boylan girls earned a top-three state trophy. Here is how local golfers finished at state:
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Class 1A girls
The Greenberg sisters helped Boylan take second as a team with a 635 at Red Tail Run in Decatur. Boylan finished 35 strokes behind champion Mt. Carmel but 40 strokes ahead of third-place Arlington Heights St. Viator to win his first state trophy in girls golf.
“I am so, so proud of my team,” Ella Greenberg said. “We broke a school record. No Boylan girls golf team has ever finished higher than us. We had personal bests. We just had a great two days of golf.”
Eva Greenberg, a junior, shot 76-72—148 to finish fifth. Sophomore Ava Kalt (161) tied for 27th and senior Tessa Lawson (187) and freshman Demi Hampilos (188) rounded out Boylan’s scoring.
Ella Greenberg shot even-par 72 to finish at 3-under 141. Mt. Carmel senior Madelyn Young shot 137. Those two began Saturday tied for first and were the only two golfers to finish under par. Greenberg finished five strokes ahead of the girl in third.
Greenberg, who finished third as a junior, hit 17 greens on the final day but made only one birdie. A year ago, hit all 18 greens in regulation the final day but made only three birdies.
“It was frustrating,” Greenberg said. “I had first place right there, but it slipped right out of my hands with the putting. I outplayed (Young) minus the putting, but she outplayed me on the putting. That was the main difference. Nothing was falling for me.”
Winnebago senior Kyra Simon also earned a top-10 state medal, taking seventh with a 76-73—149 after just missing with an 11th-place finish as a junior. Oregon senior Ava Hackman tied for 21st with a 159.
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Class 2A girls
Sayyalinh shot even-par 72 Saturday at Hickory Point in Decatur to tie for second at 2-under 142. Edwardsville senior Nicole Johnson shot 70-68—138 to win by four strokes. She had four birdies and no bogeys Saturday after beginning the day tied with Sayyalinh.
“My short game was good, but I kept putting myself in the trees with my drives,” Sayyalinh said. “I made the best of what I could. She (Johnson) was sinking a lot of putts and she had a near hole-in-one, but I wasn’t worried about trying to keep up. I was just trying to finish strong.”
Class 1A boys
Rockford Lutheran sophomore Jake Guse shot 77 Saturday to tie for fourth at 150, two strokes out of first. Byron finished fifth as a team with a 671 total. Charley Mershon was Byron’s top golfer, finishing 33rd with a 160.
Guse began the final day tied for first after an opening 73 at Prairie Vista in Bloomington.
“I played OK today,” Guse said. “Obviously, the first day I played really well. Today I didn’t have my stuff all the way through, but I still grinded to get a decent score.
“When you lose by two and didn’t play your ‘A ‘game the second day, it hurts a little bit, but still 77 isn’t a bad score. I played all right. Some guys played very well. Losing by two always hurts, but finishing fourth as a sophomore is exciting.”
As a freshman, Guse didn’t come close to state, shooting 87 at sectionals. As a sophomore, he won the Big Northern and sectional titles and finished fourth at state and lowered his nine-hole average by a full three strokes.
“It’s exciting for next year to see what I can do,” he said.
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Class 2A boys
Boylan senior Cooper Watt, a record three-time NIC-10 champion, earned a state medal by tying for seventh place. He shot 73 after an opening 74 to finish at 147, five strokes out of first place.
“It’s a weird feeling being done with high school golf, after all the years,” Watt said. “I am a little not totally happy with myself the way I finished today, but I can’t complain about being top 10 at state.
“I was fighting my tee shots all day. A few bounces a different way, I could have done a little better.”
Matt Trowbridge has covered sports for the Rockford Register Star for over 30 years, after previous stints in North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont and three years covering the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.
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