Girls’ golf drives for successful season

Gallery • 11 Photos

At the conclusion of the match, Rathe discusses what the team needs to do to improve.

Photos taken at the Prospect, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling tri meet on Monday, August 23. Photos by Alyssa Degan.

After dominating the MSL East during the 2020 season, the Prospect girls’ golf team was eager to get back out on the course.

Prospect hosted its annual Knights Invite for their first girls’ golf match of the season at the Mount Prospect Golf Course. Five schools were there to compete in the 18-hole match. To start off the 2021 season, the Knights placed 2nd overall with a score of 346 — following the 1st place team St. Charles North who scored 339. 

2020 all-conference athlete senior Abby Knott led the Knights and shot apn 80 to place 3rd. Other scoring varsity athletes included junior Kate Riesing who shot 84 to place 6th, junior Maia Johnson who shot 91 to place 8th, and sophomore Emily Torok who shot 91 to take the 9th place spot. 

Four of Prospect’s six starters in the 2020 season graduated last year, and it has been crucial for the experienced girls to step up and help lead the team.

“It’s always an adjustment … and part of that also is just having that leadership like, ‘Here’s how we practice [and] here’s what we are trying to do on the course,’” head coach Brad Rathe said. “It’s a different role for some of the younger kids to step into that situation, and we’ll keep learning.”

Junior Kate Riesing has been working hard all summer to prepare for the season. After competing in several summer golf tournaments, she feels ready to take on the challenges of the 2021 season. 

“I feel confident; I feel prepared. I just want to do my best and have fun.” Riesing said. Her goals are to be consistent and to break 40 during a nine-hole match and break 80 during an 18-hole match several times this season. 

As far as team goals, Rathe believes that the girls can win the MSL East Division once again. 

“We got our work cut out for us now. I’d still like to win our division … we [have] just … got to be good,” Rathe said.