RACHEL, JAMIE, STEPHANIE PART TWO

Rachel started out day two five shots behind. She chased down an excellent player on a course familiar to that player. In the wind and on shiny greens, a short scoring putt eluded her. There is no player alive who has not had that happen, especially in the wind and on shiny Autumn greens.

Players play. For 36 maddening holes, Rachel was a player. If she lipped out the same putt on 4 or 11 it doesn't even make the paper. The story is her valiant charge falls one short. Maybe she wasn't the Champion but she was certainly a winner, in every sense of the word. (In contrast, the first round leader, Freshman from Somonauk, is cruising coming into the dreaded 15th and tosses up a snowman, still has a lead and doubles the 18th. That's a heartbreak. The good news is she's a freshman. I'm guessing we'll be hearing more from her, as well.)

Jamie shot lower on day two than day one. That is always a good recipe. She's a freshman whose parents are both good players. Look for good things there. I'm already worried about the cumulative effect of her playing in three more state tournaments upon her father's nervous system.

Stephanie must be one tough cookie. She had a train wreck on one hole on day one. She rallied back and represented her school very well. If you stick a double bogey in where her train wreck occurred, she passes about ten more people. Some days you get the bear and some days he gets you. She's a credit to her school and her coach, who I understand also happens to be her father. They should both be Panther proud.