Hampshire’s Connie Ellett girls golfer of year

Hampshire's Connie Ellett says the pressure is taken off of her when she plays with her older sister, Taylor. (Northwest Herald file photo)

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By ANDY SCHMIDT

anschmidt@nwherald.com

HAMPSHIRE – The journey for Hampshire sophomore golfer Connie Ellett began a year ago after failing to make it to the IHSA Class AA State Tournament as a freshman, missing the cut by three shots at the Galesburg Sectional.

A year later, Ellett won the Big Northern Conference championship before finishing 25th at the Class AA state tournament. For her accomplishments, Ellett has been named the Northwest Herald Girls Golfer of the Year by the sports staff.

Ellett, joined at the state tournament by her older sister, Taylor, shot consecutive 80s at Hickory Ridge in Carbondale to earn All-State honors.

Connie Ellett said she and her sister put in a lot of work during the past year.

“We worked a lot harder with my dad and mom [Hampshire coach Sue Ellett] working on my short game, playing 18 holes,” Ellett said. “I wanted to make it down [to state], unlike last year.”

In addition to working on her game, Ellett showed she wasn’t afraid of a challenge.

This past summer, during the McHenry County Junior Golf Association season, after winning the first event of the year in the junior division, she asked to be moved up to the senior division to face tougher competition. Ellett won three of the four senior events in which she played.

“Connie is the type of kid who doesn’t like to lose, takes it pretty hard when she loses,” Sue Ellett said. “I’ve never seen her cry as hard as I did at sectionals [last year] when she didn’t make it [to state.]”

“[This year] she was solid in the regionals, the sectionals. I have never seen her play with such composure and the attitude that, ‘Everyone needs to get out of my way.’ ”

Connie Ellett said some pressure is taken off having Taylor playing alongside her.

“She definitely helps when she plays good,” Connie said. “She encourages me a lot.”

Taylor said that it was great to have the chance to play in the state tournament with her sister.

“It was a lot of fun, getting to go together,” Taylor said. “It was a good experience for our school.”