It was no secret to Benet golf coach Mike Bremner that he had a special freshman coming this fall.

He already knew her neighbor.

Benet freshman Lauren Gauss grew up on the same block in Plainfield as senior golfer Reina Maceren. They both attended St. Mary Immaculate Parish School in that town.

“Kind of knew she was coming,” Bremner said. “I was excited about her coming and what she could bring to the team.”

That freshman helped Benet make history Monday.

Gauss shot a 3-over par 75, part of a three-way tie for second place individually.

Benet is returning to state for the third time in four years, and fourth time overall – but first time in program history as a sectional champion.

Benet, on the heels of its fourth straight regional title and a 39-shot win at conference, scored a 338 at Monday’s Class 2A Waubonsie Valley Sectional at Springbrook Golf Course to beat out Plainfield North (342). Metea Valley (345) was the third advancing team, beating out Oswego Co-Op (345) on a fifth-score tiebreaker.

“My teammates did really well. Proud of them,” Gauss said. “Excited to be going to state.”

It’s not an altogether unfamiliar experience for Gauss. She was second at state in both seventh and eighth grade at St. Mary Immaculate.

As a freshman, she was medalist at conference, tied for the low round at the regional meet and kept it going Monday.

“I had a few difficult holes that have always played hard for me, but I played them well and smart,” Gauss said. “I was just thinking go out there, have fun, do my best.”

Benet is a sectional champion after graduating four of its top six players from a team that took seventh at sectional last year.

Maceren shot an 82 to tie for 15th.

“We went from losing four of our top six to rallying back. Proud of them.” Bremner said. “We knew last year we were deep, but I knew after graduating four of our top six from varsity that the kids taking their place could step up and do it well.”

Kids like Gauss.

“She can hit the ball hard for a smaller girl,” Bremner said. “Although she doesn’t have the distance of some of the big hitters, she’s so clean, she’s so smooth. She keeps it out of trouble for the most part.”

Oswego Co-Op’s Alli Wiertel, fourth at state as a freshman, is headed back with her round of 75 that tied with Gauss and St. Charles North sophomore Kayla Beu a shot back of medalist Kiley Sanborn of Plainfield North.

Wiertel, though, had a disappointing finish to her usual stellar day.

The conference and regional champion was in the lead until bogeys on the last two holes. Wiertel’s second shot on the last hole found a bunker.

“I wanted it a little more left,” Wiertel said. “I felt like I was in fine position after my drive but when I got up there the angle wasn’t great, bunker came into play. It is what it is. Felt I could have definitely birdied that last hole. It was a hard finish, especially for my teammates.”

Wiertel will be joined at state by freshman teammate Giselle Resendez, who qualified for state after her fourth playoff hole. Resendez shot an 81.

Missing out on qualifying the whole team hurt, after Oswego Co-Op won conference and regional titles.

“Today wasn’t my best day. I would say I just need to move on,” Wiertel said. “I’m going to state and trying to win. This round isn’t what I’m capable of doing. It’s just a letdown for my teammates.”

Beu and fellow St. Charles North sophomore Abigail Gizewicz, part of a state-qualifying team as freshmen, are returning as individual qualifiers.

Gizewicz shot a 77 to tie for sixth.

“I feel like today was a grind. I’m proud with how I finished and proud of the outcome,” Beu said. “Specifically the back nine I did not close very well, but I turned it around, knew I had nine holes more.

“We had a good season. We won a regional. It’s obviously upsetting we can’t go together as a team but excited to have Abigail next to me.”

Also qualifying as individuals were Waubonsie’s Mina Shyam (80) and Siya Sohal (81), the latter in a five-girl playoff for four spots.

https://www.shawlocal.com/kane-county-chronicle/high-school-sports/2025/10/07/benet-led-by-freshman-lauren-gauss-wins-first-sectional-title-in-program-history/