GOLF: McDaniel earns third straight State Finals top ten

For the third consecutive season, Pinckneyville's Heather McDaniel is an IHSA Girls Golf State Finals top-ten medalist after the senior shot a 36-hole total of 157 on Friday and Saturday at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur to come in seventh overall.

McDaniel, who was fifth at the State Finals in 2011 and sixth a year earlier, acknowledged the accomplishment although admitted she had hoped for a better result.

"I'm a little disappointed," McDaniel said," but I had fun, I enjoyed the girls I played with and it was a good experience for my last one."

McDaniel was third after 18 holes with her 77 on Friday when she avoided any score worse than a bogey. She ran into some trouble Saturday on holes 12-14, posting double bogeys around a 4 on the par-3 13th.

"I felt like I shot well (Friday)," said McDaniel. "(Saturday), with those three holes I had difficulty with, I felt like if I could have just bogied the two that I doubled, things could have been a lot different, but that's not how you play the game."

The par-5 14th hole played harder than any other on the course both days of the event with an average score of 6.77 strokes on Sunday. There were only 5 birdies at No. 14 all weekend, and no eagles.

2011 runner-up, Norridge (Ridgewood) junior Sabrina Bonanno is a state champion in 2012 after beating out Nashville's Shawn Rennegarbe by three strokes, 142-145. Eldorado's Ashton Goodley was third at 149.

Massac County took home first as a team at the event edging out Rochester 665-669. Quincy Notre Dame (682) was third, followed by Nashville (683).

Medaling in three of her four trips to the State Finals, McDaniel finished up her career as, by far, the most successful golfer in the history of Pinckneyville Community High School. She and the Lady Panthers, coached by Nolan Kellerman, advanced to the Sectional Tournament this season for only the second time in the program's existence.