Ono, Feierberg highlight a great team effort as HP places third at State
BY PATRICK Z. MCgavin FOR SUN-TIMES MEDIA October 18, 2011 7:12PM
Members of the Highland Park High School girls golf team celebrate their third-place finish at State. | Coleman Kraff~For Sun-Times Media
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Updated: November 21, 2011 9:34AM
Kelli Ono walked off the course at Hickory Point Golf Club Saturday a bit down at how the day ended. “You’re a freshman,” a teammate interjected, and her look suddenly brightened.
Perspective is everything. By any measure, the Highland Park High School girls golf team experienced new and unprecedented levels of success. And it was not just limited to the weekend in Forsyth. It was a season-long celebration.
Behind the excellent and consistent play of Ono (162, tie for 15th) and senior Nicole Feierberg, (162, tie for 15th), the Giants earned the first team trophy in the program’s history by firing a team mark of 665 to finish third in the IHSA Class 2A State Tournament behind Prospect (643) and defending champion New Trier (650).
“Last year we got seventh and we knew this year we could come back and finish even stronger,” Feierberg said.
The Giants certainly made history, as the trophy is the first in any girls team sport at the state level.
“Going into the last three to four holes, it looked like we were going to overtake Loyola,” said Giants coach Cathy Nachman. “I don’t think any of us were paying attention to Hinsdale Central.”
The Red Devils wound up fourth (663), with Loyola settling for fifth (671).
“It was definitely a sigh of relief when all the scores went up,” said Feierberg of edging Hinsdale Central by two strokes.
The finish capped a breakthrough year that saw the Giants win the Central Suburban League conference title and the Buffalo Grove Sectional.
The Giants made a statement when they posted a stunning team mark of 305 at the sectional, defeating Prospect by 14 shots
The sectional was played under perfect conditions. The state finals were played under a howling wind that gushed up to 40 miles an hour on Friday. The winds subsided on Saturday, but they were still tricky.
“The conditions were definitely a factor,” Feierberg said, “and the wind made it very difficult at times.
“We were all really motivated after the first day,” added Feierberg, aware the Giants were eight shots back of third place Loyola Academy heading into the second round.
Feierberg ended her high school in dramatic fashion with a brilliant birdie on the difficult 18th hole.
It gave her a 4-over 76 for Saturday, tied for the fourth-best individual round on Day Two. She also birdied the par-3 8th hole.
“I knew I had to do something on the second day,” Feierberg said. “We came here to do something that no other Highland Park girls team had ever done.”
The journey will continue for Feierberg, as she has made a verbal commitment to study and play golf next year at Lehigh University.
Ono’s disappointment was understandable given she bogeyed six holes on the back-9 in shooting a second-round 80. Given a few moments to collect her thoughts, she understood the significance of her personal and team achievements.
“I wasn’t very happy with how I played today, especially toward the end,” Ono said. “Overall, it was a great experience and something I’ll never forget, especially this atmosphere and being down here with everybody.”
Consistency was the Giants’ hallmark. Senior Jacki Berardi carded birdies on the par-5 No. 2 and No. 5 holes in posting an 83 on Saturday, good enough for 45th (169). Senior Jane Seder just wound up 51st (171).
The other contributors were sophomore Liza Kraff (68th, 176) and junior Tina Berardi. The younger sister of Jacki Berardi recovered from an opening-round 96 to post a solid 83 on Saturday.
It left pretty much everybody in an ecstatic frame of mind.
“It was a real team effort and team accomplishment 100 percent of the way,” Nachman said.
“We’re going to go out and celebrate this,” Feierberg said.
DINO MACRO CONTRIBUTED
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