St. Bede golfers enjoyed having the home course advantage for Tuesday’s IHSA 1A girls regional, so much so that three Bruins advanced to sectionals.

Seniors Mae Hagenbuch and Anna Cyrocki and freshman Aliyanna Arteaga will each represent St. Bede at the Pontiac Sectional from the St. Bede Regional, which saw Shaw Media schools claim nine out of the 10th individual qualifying berths.

Seneca (385), which finished just two strokes from qualifying as a team, also advanced three golfers - Camryn Stecken, Piper Stenzel and Vivienne Cronkrite.

Princeton sends Hanna Claiborne and Illyana Jones to the sectional along with Lillian Pollnow of Ottawa Marquette.

The three Bruins, who led St. Bede to a fifth-place team finish at 405, had mixed views of playing at home.

“I think it’s definitely a pretty big advantage at home. Being able to know the course for sure and being able to help the all the other girls letting them know where the holes go is nice,” Hagenbuch said.

“It’s a big advantage for the team. You know the course pretty well. You’re always playing here and practicing here,” Arteaga said.

On the other hand, playing at Spring Creek doesn’t necessarily make it easier, Cyrocki said.

“I’m glad I at least know the course, but that doesn’t mean I like it,” she said. “It’s a really, really tough course. I think knowing it kind makes it worse. Because you know when you have a bad shot it takes some effort to bring it back.”

Hagenbuch, who tied for ninth place overall at 96, the third individual qualifier, and Arteaga, who shot a 98 to tie as the fifth individual qualifier, were especially excited to qualify for sectionals for the first time.

“I’ve never made it out of regional and I shot pretty good to make it out of there. I was hitting pretty straight. Drives were good. Putts were good,” Hagenbuch said.

“I’m only a freshman. It’s my first time. It’s a big accomplishment,” Arteaga said.

Cyrocki, who placed 19th overall with a 101 as the seventh qualifier, was just happy she didn’t have to go through a playoff again to advance like she did a year ago.

“Last year’s shootout ... uh, I was so nervous because there were so many coaches and everybody watching. My first shot I messed it all up,” she said.

Cyrocki said having teammates joining her at sectional “is a lot better because it was just me last year. I’m excited.”

While disappointed in not making it out as a team again, the Seneca golfers were pleased to move on.

Stecken (91) and Stenzel (92) were the top two individual qualifiers, finishing sixth and seventh overall. Cronkrite was one of five golfers to tie for 13th at 98, tying Arteaga as the fifth individual qualifier.

“We could have played a lot better today. I think all of us know that. I mean, it’s a little disappointing, but there’s still some good out of it. So that’s nice at least,” Stecken said.

“It’s kind of exciting, but nerve-wracking at the same time,” Cronkrite said.

“It feels good. I wished we would have gone as a team,” Stenzel said.

While Cronkrite admitted she followed the team scores on the IHSA app, “to see what’s going on,” Stecken said she doesn’t want any part of it.

“I don’t look at all. It makes me want to play better and stuff, so I don’t look at it and play how I want to makes me nervous,” Stecken said.

“I usually do (check scores). Today I didn’t, probably should have,” Stenzel said.

Princeton finished sixth as a team with a total of 411, led by Claiborne, who finished 12th overall at as the fourth individual qualifier, and Jones, who placed 21st overall and was the eighth qualifier at 102.

Claiborne advanced to sectional last year, but wasn’t sure she was going to make it out Tuesday because “I’ve been doing bad this year.” She said last year’s experience helped her handle the pressure.

Jones said she surprised herself a bit because “I’m usually around the cutoff.” She said the key for her Tuesday was “playing relaxed. Nothing really stressed me out.”

Marquette’s Pollnow shot a 103 to claim the ninth qualifying spot, placing 22nd overall.

Seneca senior Brooklyn Szafranski missed out on a playoff, having tied for the 10th qualifying spot with a 104.

Princeton seniors Annika Hansen and Reese Reviglio both shot a 106, missing the cut by two strokes.

Downs Tri-Valley (366) claimed the team title with Bloomington Central Catholic (366) and El Paso-Gridley (383) also advancing.

Maddie Bradbury of Bloomington Central Catholic was medalist at 83.

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Seneca's Camryn Stecken tees off during the Class 1A Regionals on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 at Spring Creek Golf Course in Spring Valley. (Scott Anderson)