By Tim Wester
Sports Correspondent
Faced with the challenge of replacing Southern Lakes Conference player of the year Mari Suokko this season, the chance of making a second straight trip to the state tournament was a daunting task.
Then a regular season loss to Waterford made matters even tougher.
But the Broncos finally put things together when it mattered most, winning the Southern Lakes Conference tournament and then the WIAA Division 1 Catholic Memorial Regional.
The Broncos then stepped onto Brighton Dale Golf Course and qualified for the state tournament for a second consecutive season with a second-place finish in the WIAA Division 1 Sectional, Monday, Oct. 3.
The top two teams at the sectional qualified for state.
Milton (336) won the event, with the Broncos (356) finishing two strokes better than third-place Janesville Parker (358).
“Our top player from last year, Suokko, graduated, so in order for there not to be a drop off, the returning players have to go out and get better,” Union Grove girls golf coach Eric Swanson said. “And that’s exactly what these girls did. I am extremely proud of the girls for taking the challenge to make themselves better golfers.”
Swanson was especially proud of senior Sarah Schuster, who was the tournament front-runner at the turn with a 39. Schuster dropped off slightly on the back and eventually finished third overall with a 79.
Schuster finished just two strokes off the pace set by Milton’s Mia Seeman and Waukesha Catholic Memorial’s Sydney Brandt.
“Sarah was steady for all 18 holes,” Swanson said. “She really played well and finished strong. She was just a couple strokes away from winning the sectional.”
While Schuster was impressive throughout the day, junior Jackie Bianchi helped seal the Broncos’ second straight trip to University Ridge Golf Course in Madison with an impressive 42 on the back nine, and a 91 overall.
“We really got a big boost on the back-nine from Jackie,” Swanson said. “As we said, we needed everyone on the team to get better in order to get back to Madison, and Jackie certainly exhibited this today.”
With the Broncos doing their best to fight off Parker and Catholic Memorial, Megan Koch and Sydney Staadden chipped in two solid performances with a 92 and 94, respectively.
“It was a tight team race the whole round. Waukesha played really well and Janesville Parker got an outstanding round from their No. 4 golfer. Both of them are good teams, so we are very fortunate to come out on top.”
Union Grove also came out on top at the WIAA Division 1 Catholic Memorial Regional at Broadlands Golf Course in North Prairie Wednesday, Sept. 28.
The Broncos, who shared the Southern Lakes Conference Championship with Waterford, finished eight strokes better than the Wolverines to earn bragging rights and a trip to sectionals.
Schuster finished fourth overall at regionals with an 82, two strokes behind champion Taitum Beck of Waterford.
Koch (86) finished fifth overall, while Staaden (88) took ninth and Bianchi (90) finished 12th for the Grove.
The Broncos look to continue their impressive postseason run Monday morning when they begin play at the two-day state tournament.
Last season, Union Grove finished ninth overall in the state. Can the Broncos finish even higher this season? Swanson and the Broncos will certainly do all they can to beat that mark.
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