Jacobs’ Natalie Zimmerman and Crystal Lake Central co-op’s Rylee Rud first met in 2022 through a McHenry County Junior Golf Association event at Randall Oaks Golf Club in West Dundee.

Now upperclassmen, the pair’s friendship has only become stronger, along with their golf game.

The No. 1 golfers for their teams played in the same group of four Wednesday and battled it out for the top spot at the Fox Valley Conference Tournament at Crystal Woods in Woodstock.

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Crystal Lake Central co-op’s Rylee Rud watches her tee shot on the 13th hole during the Fox Valley Conference Girls Golf Tournament Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at Crystal Woods Golf Club in Woodstock. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver)

Rud fired an 81 to beat Zimmerman and McHenry senior Abby Powers by one shot for medalist honors, while Zimmerman’s Golden Eagles took the overall conference championship for the first time in school history.

Crystal Lake Central co-op finished first with a 347, followed by Jacobs (355) in second and Huntley (369) in third. Because the Golden Eagles won all seven FVC duals during the regular season, their second-place finish was still enough to crown them as conference champs.

“It means a lot because these girls on our team have been working really hard over the years,” said Zimmerman, who earned the title of FVC points champion, which combines conference dual and tournament finishes.

“My freshman year, we won one conference match and to this year winning the [FVC] championship and going undefeated during the regular season ... it feels really good.”

Zimmerman, a junior, led Rud, a senior, by one shot going into the final hole, the par-4, 282-yard No. 18, but the two flip-flopped positions after Rud set herself up and made a 15-foot putt for birdie, while Zimmerman ended her round with a double bogey.

“It’s like a love-hate relationship with this course,” said Zimmerman, who had birdies on Nos. 11 and 16 – both par 3s. ”I was stressing out. I didn’t even know what to do.

“I just wanted to get on the green, at worst two-putt and leave with a bogey. I didn’t even realize what [Rud] was hitting for, but she made that birdie putt, and I’m really happy for her. She’s one of my best friends. If it wasn’t me winning today I’m glad it was her.”

Rud made a furious comeback after carding a 44 on the front nine. She cut down her strokes by seven on the back nine with a 37, which included the birdie on No. 18 and six pars.

Two weeks ago, Rud recorded a personal-best 77 at the McHenry County Tournament. Zimmerman was fifth as their teams finished in the same order in the standings, first and second.

Rud’s coach Kyle McCaughn let out a big scream in support as she drained her birdie putt to seal the win.

“I was just in shock,” Rud said. “I was shaking on that last putt, but I was trying my best and I’m so proud of myself. I knew I had a pretty straight lie and I just had to hit it in. I had a bomb of a drive, probably my farthest of the day. My second shot, I had no clue where the green was, so I just hit a club [hybrid] that I was comfortable with. And that chip to get on, I was probably even more nervous for.”

Rud, who will play college golf at Wisconsin-River Falls, said having Zimmerman nearby was a big help.

“She’s so fun to play with,” Rud said. “She definitely helps me like get out of my head and to just focus on the next shot.”

Powers came close to becoming the first McHenry girls golfer to win the FVC individual title and led most of her round, but took a bogey on the last hole, the par-5, 465-yard No. 10.

Still, Powers was happy with her gutsy performance, topping her previous best 18-hole score by seven shots. Powers set two goals for the tournament and met both, breaking 40 for nine holes and 85 for 18.

“It just really makes me appreciate all the work I’ve put in throughout the year, just to see it come full circle,” said Powers, who made a birdie on No. 14. “Being a senior, this is my last time at conference, so it’s really nice to go out like this. I didn’t think I’d do terrible or anything, but I didn’t expect this.

“I think I was just more focused today and taking each shot individually and never worrying about the next shot. Just focusing on the moment I was in at that moment.”

Huntley junior Kinsey Hayes took fourth, just two shots behind Rud with an 83. Her day included three birdies on Nos. 9, 13 and 16. At last year’s tournament, she shot an 89.

“My start was a little rocky out there, but I got into the groove of it and found my game on the back nine,” Hayes said. “My drive started out pretty rough, but I got it back on track. I was just trying to have fun and be in the right headspace the whole time, and just play my game as best as I could. I felt good about what I put out there.”

Crystal Lake Central co-op freshman Giuliana Dickson finished in fifth with an 85 in her first FVC tournament to help lead the Tigers to the tournament title. Teammate Ryleigh Mazzacano was seventh with an 87.

“I have a really great coach, and it’s been super fun to get to know all of my teammates,” said Dickson, who made a birdie on No. 13. “I’m really sad that there’s a lot of seniors on the team and they’re leaving, but I think it was a super fun (regular) season.”

Rounding out the top-10 individuals were Prairie Ridge’s Grace Mertel (sixth, 86), Huntley’s Miranda Hoeft (eighth, 87), Jacobs’ Nicole Heims (ninth, 89) and Hampshire’s Estancia Arenas (10th, 89).

Prairie Ridge (372) placed fourth, followed by Hampshire (387) in fifth and McHenry (389) in sixth. Burlington Central (403) took seventh and Dundee-Crown (484) was 10th.

The All-FVC team is made up of the top 18 golfers in the end-of-season points standings (combining dual and tournament results).

Making the All-FVC team were (starting with the most points): Zimmerman, Hayes, Dickson, Mertel, Rud, Arenas, Powers, Hoeft, Burlington Central’s Lexi Gibson, Prairie Ridge’s Lily Myers, Hampshire’s Maddie Franz, McHenry’s Madelyn Blake, Mazzacano, Jacobs’ Lila Serafini, Heims, Jacobs’ Emma Skarosi, McHenry’s Abby Shoemaker and Huntley’s Keegan Smith.