Armstrong the leader of pack for tough H-F

Armed with a quartet of players who usually break 80, Homewood-Flossmoor likely will be a long drive away from its competition this fall.

''I think our girls were a little intimidated last year, going against some of the seniors,'' said H-F coach Rick Pavinato, whose team lost in the sectional on a fifth-score tiebreaker. ''We won a number of tournaments by a stroke, and then we get knocked out by one. It was tough to lose the way we did, but it was a good lesson to learn.''

H-F's Ashley Armstrong exceeded some high expectations by taking third place at the state meet with a total score of 145.

A two-time Illinois Junior Golf Association player of the year, she won the six tournaments she competed in with a 70.6 average. Armstrong placed second in the Illinois Amateur and seventh in the Illinois Women's Open at Mistwood Golf Club.

Sophomores Michelle Mayer (78) and Ryan Gilley (83), freshman Lauren Dawson (80) and senior Rachel Mayer (80) also can provide consistently low scores for H-F, which could better Normal U-High's state record of 609 set at last fall's state finals. Downstate Marion figures to be one of the Vikings' toughest foes.

Illinois has produced a number of golfers who have done well at the college level, and Armstrong, a sophomore, is on track to be in that elite category.

''Ashley can string together three-four birdies in a row and can get up and down from anywhere,'' said John Platt, the teaching pro at Green Garden and the boys golf coach at Providence. Platt has worked with Armstrong since she was in sixth grade.

''Her lag putting is fantastic -- and if she has a 10-footer, it looks like it's going to go in every time,'' he said.

Two weeks after last season ended, Armstrong was working with Platt to iron out her swing.

''I don't like to be away from the course for too long,'' she said. ''My short game is my best part, but I need to work on my swing. My hands are still beating my club to the ball.''

Marian Catholic coach Linda Gilley, whose daughter Emily won the state title with H-F in 1996 and '97, is impressed with Armstrong's abilities.

''Ashley does remind me of Emily,'' Gilley said. ''She's a fierce competitor who works incredibly hard on her game.

''Ashley can have a double bogey and then birdie the next two holes. She scrambles so well, she never gets in trouble. Ashley's a tremendous golfer for this time frame.''