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Flashback: 2009 All-Area Girls Golf Team

Dan Stickradt | December 7, 2010 | Comments (2)

Super Team players highlight All-Area Girls Golf squad

BY DAN STICKRADT

SENIOR EDITOR

To say that Oakland County is a hotbed for girls golf talent might be an understatement. The number of all-state players and state-qualifying teams is high each and every year during the past decade and that could very well continue in the future.

Just look at the coverage area for www.northoaklandsports.com, which covers only a quarter of the county. This season alone there were three teams that made the state finals out of 10 local teams, and that included the state champion and the third-place school in Division 1.

Rochester won the title, its second straight and third this decade, while Rochester Stoney Creek placed third, the highest-ever finish for the Cougars in their eight school year. Even Troy enjoyed modest success, as the Colts had a team dominated by sophomores and finished 12^th at state in Division 1. In an area of great success, that is the reason why Troy veteran John Getzan was tabbed as the Coach of the Year for 2009.

All of this only scratches the surface of what has taken place in this area in recent years. Even Lake Orion won a state title in the spring of 2007, the final year that girls golf was played in the spring. Rochester has finished in the top 10 every season this decade and Stoney Creek is a fast-rising program with back-to-back top five finishes. Rochester Adams, Clarkston and Troy Athens have all qualified for the state finals at least once this decade.

Many of the area’s other schools also had young talent and should be much-improved next season.

Individually, five area players garnered all-state recognition this season, including three that made the eight-player All-State Super Team.

Here’s a look at the area’s premier players that make up the inaugural www.northoaklandsports.com All-Area Girls Golf Team.

FIRST TEAM

CHRISTINE MEIER, Rochester: Named Miss Golf by the state coaches association, Meier goes down in history as one of the most successful female prep golfers in state history. Following in the footsteps of her older sister, Amy Meier, this senior was named to the All-State Super Team for the fourth straight year, after leading the Falcons to four top-3 state finishes, including back-to-back state crowns.

Meier had a 37.0 average for dual matches but an amazing 73.4 tournament average this fall. She won the Traverse City Tee-Off Classic (70-76), the Holiday Inn Express Invitational (71), the U-M tournament (73), second OAA Red Division tournament (77) and regional (73). She also carded rounds of 73 and 74 (147) at the D-1 state finals to become the school’s second straight individual state champion. Meier was also second at the first OAA-Red tourney (74), Grosse Ile Invitational (75) and Oakland County Division I tournament (72). She has committed to Michigan State.

“Christine had an amazing career at Rochester. I don’t think people realize how good she really was,” said coach Jeff Haney. “In her four years with us, I don’t think she ever finished out of the top five — and we played in some really tough tournaments each year. You look at her resume and she is one of the best golfers the state has had and certainly the best at Rochester. And her sister was the state champion last year for us. We have been so blessed to have the Meiers come thought our program.”

ROSALIE SHYU, Rochester: On most teams in the state, Shyu would be the No. 1 golfer. At Rochester, she’s just the next in line of all-state golfers that have played for the Falcons this decade. A junior in her third year of varsity competition, she helped the school finish second in the state her freshman year and claim the two most recent state titles as a sophomore and junior. Shyu finished with a 37.9 dual-match average and a 79.3 tournament average and her resume was consistent with multiple top-10 finishes at tournaments. She tied for fifth at the Traverse City tournament (74-81), claimed second at the Holiday Inn tournament (78), was fourth at the first OAA Red Division tournament (82) and third at the second league tournament (83), placed third at the U-M Invite (77), sixth at the Grosse Ile tourney (78), third at the county (76), third at the regional (79) and sixth at the D-1 state finals (82-82—164). She also carded a hole-in-one at the county tournament.

“Rosalie came in not playing as much golf as some of the other girls did at a younger age, but she has really become a very good golfer,” said Haney. “She’s a 4.0 student and an extremely hard worker. Next year she’ll be our No. 1 golfer and I think if she continues to progress, will be able to shoot in the mid-70s on a regular basis.”

DEVON COMPTON, Rochester Stoney Creek: In her three years with the Cougars, Compton has never finished lower than fifth place. This season as a junior, she was medalist in five of six dual matches and posted a 77.4 tournament average and a 35.8 dual-match average. Compton was second at the regional, won the Oakland County Division I tournament with a round of 68, and placed fourth overall (84-80) at the Division 1 state finals among her top finishes.

“Devon is one of the most hard-working, driven golfers I have ever met. She has an unbelievable work ethic and is always working to perfect her game,” said coach Todd Vince. “When it all comes together it is a thing of beauty to watch unfold.

“Although she didn’t perform to her usual standard at (the state meet), she still finished in a tie for fourth place in Division 1 among the best golfers in the state — if not the best (group). Hopefully, the fourth year will be a charm for Devon and she can finish on top.”

GABBY YURIK, Rochester Stoney Creek: Another one of the reasons that Stoney Creek landed third at the D-1 state finals was the play of this sophomore, who put together a total of 16 appearances where she finished in the top four. A two-time all-state performer who vaulted form the D-1 First Team to the Super Team this year, Yurik was the state runner-up this season (78-77—155). She won the first OAA Red Division tournament (72) among her top outings and averaged 77.7 for tournaments and 35.9 for dual matches. She is also the leading scorer on the Cougars’ varsity girls basketball team.

“Gabby has a unique ability to focus and take challenges on the course as opportunities to succeed,” said Vince. “(She has the) ability to think her way around a course and recover from anywhere, making for an exciting round to watch. You never know what she will come up with or do next.”

KELLY FENG, Troy: This sophomore was the Colts’ No. 1 golfer the past two seasons and she led her team to a state finals berth for the first time since the 2001 spring season. Feng, who was all-league in the OAA-White Division, was medalist in all seven of her dual meets and finished with a 40.0 average for nine holes and an 84.5 average for 18 holes. She was third at both the West Bloomfield Invitational and Country Club Classic, second at both OAA-White tournaments, ninth at the Oakland County D-I and 25^th overall at the D-1 state finals (92-86—188). She was named honorable-mention all-state.

“Kelly is a two-time state qualifier who really improved since her freshman year,” said coach John Getzan. “She was top 10 at every tournament except the state meet. She was a captain and that’s the first time I’ve had a sophomore as a captain. She just had a really good year. I believe that she’ll only get better.”

COACH OF THE YEAR

JOHN GETZAN, Troy: The past two seasons Troy played with multiple underclassmen but still had one of its better seasons to date. Making its first trip to the state finals in eight years, Troy placed 12^th (399-383—782) in Division 1. The Colts finished 7-0 in dual matches, including 5-0 in OAA White Division, and won both league tournaments. Troy was also third at the regional behind Rochester and Stoney Creek and sixth in a talented field at the Oakland County Division I Tournament. Getzan finished up his fourth season with the Colts girls team and has coached Troy’s boys team since the fall of 1987.

“This group really put in a lot of time to improve since last year,” said Getzan. “I think one of the goals they had all along was to make it to the state finals. We won the OAA White this year after winning the (OAA) Blue Division last year and placed third at the regional. We had three tenth-graders and two juniors in our top five, so we should be able to improve more next year.”

2009 ALL-AREA GIRLS GOLF TEAM

FIRST TEAM

NAME SCHOOL GRADE

Christine Meier Rochester Senior

Rosalie Shyu Troy Junior

Devon Compton Rochester Stoney Creek Junior

Gabby Yurik Rochester Stoney Creek Sophomore

Kelly Feng Troy Sophomore

COACH OF THE YEAR

John Getzan Troy 4^th Season

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Auburn Hills Avondale: Renee Kurczeski, sr.; Clarkston: Jessica Lazoen, sr.; Emily Bullen, sr.; Lake Orion: Maddy McClain, soph.; Rochester: Jill Monahan, jr.; Danya Drewes, sr.; Rochester Adams: Nicole Werner, jr.; Rochester Stoney Creek: Marianna Stepp, jr.; Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest: Drue Tyler, sr.; Troy: Christine Dolikian, soph.; Troy Athens: Mary Ann Black, soph.

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