2010 All-AREA GIRLS GOLF TEAM: These linkers are driven by success

BY DAN STICKRADT

OUT OF HARM'S WAY: Rochester's Rosalie Shyu has played her way out of a few traps during her stellar four-year career. She is a four-time all-area performer. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

PUR CONCENTRATION: Rochester Stoney Creek junior Gabby Yurik was one of the state's premier golfers this season. Staff Photo | Dan Stickradt

SAILING AWAY: Troy's Kelly Feng is a repeat offender on the All-Area Girls Golf Team. Staff Photo | Larry McKee, www.lmckeephotography.com

SENIOR EDITOR

dan.stickradt@northoaklandsports.com

Is the Rochester area really the epicenter for girls golf in Michigan. Well, there’s a growing trend in recent years about the city producing some fine golf talent.

For the fifth straight season a Rochester team finished first or second at the Division 1 state tournament, while the past three D-1 medalists have also come from Rochester.

The Rochester schools dominate the 2010 www.northoaklandsports.com All-Area Team, landing four players on the first team.

Additionally, the area produced five all-staters this season, three which landed on the All-State Super Team, and had three teams finish in the top-10 at the D-1 state finals.

Rochester Stoney Creek, Rochester and Troy all finished up in the top-10 at the state finals, with Stoney Creek finishing an all-time best second, Troy was sixth and defending state champion Rochester eighth.

Those schools dominate the All-Area squad, as chosen by NOS staff in conjunction with area coaches.

Below are the profiles of all of the first-team honorees:

DEVON COMPTON, Rochester Stoney Creek: Named the 2010 Miss Golf, Compton ended a stellar four-year career with the Cougars by winning the Division 1 state crown with a two-day score of 150 (77-73). Despite fighting a back injury over the summer and throughout the season, the four-time all-stater won the Holiday Inn Express and Grosse Ile tournaments, finished sixth at the Ann Arbor Pioneer tournament, and fourth at the first OAA-Red Division tournament and second at the other league tourney. Compton also finished third at the Oakland County tournament, second at the Rochester City tourney and second at the regional. Headed for Michigan, Compton averaged 75.4 for 18 holes and 38.3 for nine holes. She finished in the top 10 at every event her junior and senior years, including the top six this season, and wound up on the All-State Super Team the past three years. She shot 75 or lower five times, with a season-best 72 at the Holiday Inn Express tournament.

“What a way to end your senior season,” said coach Todd Vince, referring to Compton winning the state title and Miss Golf. “She had an incredible four years with us and I know she will succeed in college.”

KELLY FENG, Troy: Part of the Colts’ revival the past three years has been the play of this junior, who has been the Colts’ No. 1 player in that span and should be amongst the state’s best next season. This season Feng averaged 80.8 for 18 holes and 38.7 for dual meets. She was first at the Farmington Invitational, top-five at both OAA Red Division tournaments, fourth at the Birmingham Seaholm Invite, fifth at the county and regional, 10^th at Knollwood and 20^th at the state meet (89-80—169), where the Colts were sixth as a team. She was named to the Division 1 All-State First Team by the coaches association.

“Kelly is very consistent,” said coach John Getzan. “Her low was 78 but she never shot above 81 until the first day of the state finals. She won all but one dual meet for us. She was consistently our top golfer and one of the top golfers in our league all season. It was really nice to see her get all-state this season.”

ROSALIE SHYU, Rochester: Another stellar four-year performer, Shyu is considering UD-Mercy, Grand Valley State and Michigan among her college options, where she hopes to continue her career. Averaging 38.9 for dual matches and 77 for tournaments, Shyu earned a spot on the All-State Super Team following a fine four-year career that saw her finish in the top-15 at the state finals all four years (ninth, 11^th, sixth and eighth). She shot an 80-81 at the state finals for a 161 total, good for eighth overall. She won the second of two OAA Red Division tournaments after finishing fourth at the first league tourney. She also on the Holt Invitational, placed second at the county and the Dye Invitational, was third at Grosse Ile and Seaholm invitationals, and fourth at the Traverse City, Holiday Inn Express, Rochester City, Ann Arbor Pioneer and Twin Lakes regional.

“The thing about Rosalie is that she has played in shadow of (former Rochester all-staters) Amy Meier and Christine Meier, but now that she was our top golfer this season people realized how good she really is,” said coach Jeff Haney. “Rosalie is probably the third-best golfer we’ve ever had here and we’ve had a long line of good golfers here over the years. She improved her game every year that she was here.”

MARIANNA STEPP, Rochester Stoney Creek: The Cougars’ No. 3 golfer made long strides in her career to earn All-State First Team honors in Division 1 this season.  She has several top-20 finishes to her credit, including eighth at the county, third and 15^th at the OAA-Red tournaments, third at the City, sixth at the regional, seventh at the Grosse Ile and 20^th at the Pioneer Invite. She was also 20^th at the Holiday Inn Express tournament, and shot a two-day total of 167 at the D-1 state finals, good for 18^th.

“Marianna really improved over the course of her career this year and was All-State,” said Vince. “I think her hard work really paid off this year. She came a long ways. For a program to be successful, you need depth. And Marianna provided that for us. She would be the No. 1 golfer on a lot of schools out there.”

GABBY YURIK, Rochester Stoney Creek: A two-time member of the All-State Super Team, this junior averaged 36.9 for dual matches and 75.5 for tournaments. That doesn’t tell the whole story. A Division I recruit for both golf and basketball, Yurik won the first OAA-Red tournament and followed that up with victories at the Pioneer Invitational, Oakland County, City and Twin Lakes regional, where she shot a season-low 69. Yurik, who should be a frontrunner for the Miss golf in 2011, was also seventh at both the Holiday Inn and Grosse Ile tournaments, fourth at the second league meet and wound up third at the state finals with a 152 (77-75), just two strokes off the lead. She carded 75 of lower six times this season, best in the area. She is also a standout basketball player.

“Gabby had a great year for us. She won a lot of tournaments and was always in the (top seven),” said Vince. “Next year she should be considered for Miss Golf. If she plays the way she did this year, or gets better, I can see that happening. She’s such a great competitor and just a great athlete.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

TODD VINCE, Rochester Stoney Creek: Vince has helped Stoney Creek bud from an infant program into a state powerhouse in less than a decade.

This season the Cougars had their best season to date, winning multiple tournaments and being ranked No. 1 in the state for three quarters of the season.

The Cougars finished 6-0 in dual matches and finished first or second in every at every tournament. Stoney Creek won the Grosse Ile, both OAA-Red league tournaments, the Oakland County Division I, Rochester City, Knollwood Invitational and regional with a season-best 317. They were also second at the Holiday Inn and Ann Arbor Pioneer invitationals before their runner-up showing at the state finals, the best finish in school history.

At the state finals, Stoney Creek shot a two-day total of 660, just three strokes behind state champion Saline. In the three tournaments the Cougars did not win, they lost by a combined eight strokes.

“It was still a great season,” said Vince. “We had a great run. We finished first or second at every tournament this season. Saline was just three strokes better than us at the state meet, that’s all. These girls all worked so hard. I couldn’t be prouder of all of the things they accomplished this season.”

2010 ALL-AREA GIRLS GOLF TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Devon Compton       Roch. Stoney Creek           Sr.

Kelly Feng                  Troy                                          Jr.

Rosalie Shyu             Rochester                               Sr.

Marianna Stepp       Roch. Stoney Creek            Sr.

Gabby Yurik              Roch. Stoney Creek            Jr.

COACH OF THE YEAR

Todd Vince                Roch. Stoney Creek

SECOND TEAM

Clarkston: Betty Pan, soph.; Oxford: Kyla Kurczewski, fr.; Rochester: Jyl Monahan, sr.; Troy: Christine Dolikian, jr.; Marly Garman, sr.; Troy Athens: Jennifer Yang, fr.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Auburn Hills Avondale: Kelsey Wilson, sr.; Lake Orion: Maddy McLean, jr.; Rochester: Amanda Graham, jr.; Hailey Bradley, soph.; Rochester Adams: Nicole Werner, sr.; Kaela Saforafis, fr.; Rochester Stoney Creek: Chloe Gushewski, fr.; Abbie McCain, soph.; Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest: Kallie Washburn, jr.; Troy: Emma Green, sr.; Marissa Oleski, jr.

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Tags: all-area, all-area girls golf, featured, girls golf

Category: All Area Teams, Auburn Hills Avondale, Auburn Hills Christian Acadamy, Auburn Hills Oakland Christian, Clarkston, Clarkston Everest Catholic, Clarkston Springfield Christian, Lake Orion, Lake Orion Baptist, Lake Orion Shalom Baptist, Oxford, Prep Wraps, Rochester, Rochester Adams, Rochester Hills Christian, Rochester Hills Lutheran NW, Rochester Stoney Creek, Troy, Troy Athens, Troy Bethany Christian, Troy Christian Leadership Acadamy