Over the last four years, Minooka senior golfer Rachel Herzberger has been about as consisted as can be on the area golf courses.
As starters the Indians team captain played on a Southwest Prairie Conference championship all four years she played in high school. For the last two years, she was the SPC MVP.
Herzberger's high school career came to an end a couple of weeks ago, but its not one that people are soon to forget. In addition to Herzberger, her teammates Deaven Hudson, Gabby Osorio and Ashley Gray — along with MDH MVP Olivia Kief and Hailey Hoaglund of Morris — make up this year's All-Area Girls Golf Team.
Rachel Herzberger, Minooka
Herzberger capped her dominant run in the SPC with a round of 82 at Inwood after being the medalist golfer at every SPC dual this fall. Then, a week later, she got third individually at the regional at Senica's Oak Ridge by shooting an 80.
The sectional appearance was the third straight by Herzberger as she had won a regional title in each her sophomore and junior years. Her senior year will also be remembered for the 85 she shot for a fifth-place finish at the Rosary Invite.
As a team, Minooka finished third at Oak Ridge, with Gray, a junior and Osorio, a senior, getting a 99 each. Hudson, a senior, shot a 104 to round out the team scoring.
"We counted these four golfers in almost all our meets," Minooka coach Joe Host said. "They all contributed to our third-place finish at the regional this year. They were the four scores we also counted in stealing our fifth-straight conference championship."
Deaven Hudson, Minooka
A three-year varsity starter, Hudson also made it as an All-SPC selection this fall. A team captain with Herzberger, Hudson averaged 45 per nine holes this fall. She was on a regional advancing team in each of the last three years in which the team garnered two team firsts and one third.
Gabby Osorio, Minooka
Osorio shot a career-low 43 at Inwood Golf Course to highlight the season and averaged 47 per nine holes this season. She was on the last two sectional qualifying teams
Ashley Gray, Minooka
Gray tied Herzberger twice for low-round at an event while averaging 46 over nine holes. She also shot a 90 for her low round at an invitational.
Hailey Hoaglund, Morris
At the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference Meet this fall, Hoaglund shot a 46 on the back nine at the Rochelle Country Club. The sophomore became the second Morris girl golfer ever to advance out of a regional by shooting a 111 at Spring Creek Golf Course in early October. She was 12th and medaled at the NIB12 Meet and finished with a score of 104 and missed qualifying for state by eight strokes shooting a 100 at Stone Creek
"Hailey is only a sophomore and is ready to make some noise in the years to come," Morris coach Matt Lafond said. "I haven't seen anyone mature in the game of golf as much as Hailey did this year as a sophomore. If only I could put her approach to the game of golf in all of my players."
Honorable Mention
Coal City's Alyssa Erickson, who shot a 118 in the regional, and Seneca's Natalie Hamilton, who shot a 125 in the regional.
