Hampshire’s Connie, Taylor Ellett can pack for family trip

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ROCKFORD – Hampshire sisters Connie and Taylor Ellett had one goal in mind for their second year together at the varsity golf level.

The Elletts were set on qualifying together for the IHSA state tournament, which both did Monday at the Class AA Guilford Sectional at Ingersoll.

Connie shot a 7-over-par 79, and Taylor had an 81 to be part of the eight individual qualifiers to advance to this weekend’s Class AA state meet at Hickory Ridge in Carbondale. It will the third consecutive trip downstate for the Taylor, a junior, and the first for Connie, a sophomore.

“It will be really exciting and a lot of fun,” Connie said. “I’m ready for it.”

Taylor said she was happier for her sister having the chance to go downstate for the first time than she was for herself.

“I’m really excited for Connie,” Taylor Ellett said. “She worked really hard.”

Prairie Ridge, which had qualified for the sectional as a team, finished ninth with a score of 375. St. Charles East (330) and Galesburg (349) advanced to the state meet.

Senior Allison Holly led Prairie Ridge with an 87, and Wolves coach Patti Hie said she was proud of Holly’s career accomplishments.

“She has done so much for Prairie Ridge golf,” Hie said. “I started to cry talking to her about that and what she has done for four years. This was the only goal she didn’t achieve (making it to state).”

Both Elletts started their rounds on the back nine. Connie shot a 1-over 37, and Taylor had a 39.

Connie had an opportunity to finish in the top three but double-bogeyed the par-5 ninth hole, her final hole of the day.

“I thought my whole round was pretty consistent, except for that last hole, which was not good,” Connie said. “I was pretty happy with everything else.”

Taylor’s score tied for seventh with South Elgin’s Samantha Coyle for the last two qualifying spots.

“I was really nervous at the end,” Taylor said. “I figured right around 80 was going to be the cut-off, and I bogeyed the last hole. It was really nice that I made it.”