Alexis Myers was on the grind.
With a few minutes to kill before her final round at the Class 2A state meet, and the final round of her storied Glenbrook North career, the Illinois commit was practicing on the putting green.
“I saw her by herself putting while the rest of the team was on the range,” Glenbrook North junior Martha Kuwahara said. “She was just grinding on the putting green.
“I also took some time for myself a few minutes before my tee time. I sat in the clubhouse, just to be alone and not distracted.”
That mental focus paid dividends for both Kuwahara and Myers, who finished first and second, respectively, in 2A at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur on Oct. 19. Kuwahara’s winning two-day total was 5-under-par 139, and Myers was two strokes behind her.
As a team, Glenbrook North also won its second straight state championship while breaking a state record in the process. The Spartans shot 585, which smashed the previous record low of 595, set by Barrington in 2021. Runner-up Stevenson shot 608.
“I actually didn’t check the leaderboard that much until the 18th hole,” Kuwahara said. “But after we finished, we were all like, ‘Oh, we just broke the state record.’”
Heading into the weekend, Glenbrook North coach Mike Schroeder made his team aware of the record. His golfers instantly marked that as their top goal.
“We all looked at each other and were like, ‘Yeah, that’s definitely accomplishable,’” Kuwahara said.
Once the record was official, the Spartans swarmed each other in celebration at the final hole. They had conquered Hickory Point once again.
“The girls really prepped thoroughly for the course,” Schroeder said. “We went over it hole by hole. I’ve seen this golf course for years now, but no one knows it better than these players.
“They’re just mentally tough, experienced competitors. They hung in there and weathered all the ups and downs. It was incredible.”
The Spartans’ festivities continued in the bus, where music pumped at full blast.
“It was great to watch them celebrate,” Schroeder said. “I’m overwhelmed with pride and gratitude to be a part of the success they had this year.”
For Kuwahara and Myers, the title marks another milestone on a journey inspired by their older brothers. Kuwahara, who placed eighth in 2A in 2022 and 13th in 2A last year, said she “tried every sport” as a kid, from gymnastics to softball, and finally settled on golf when her older brother Issa convinced her to join for a round.
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Myers, who placed 33rd in 2A in 2022 and 15th in 2A last year, followed in the footsteps of older brothers Ivan and Eli, first setting out as a 5-year-old on the links. With a decade of experience behind her, she entered high school as both a polished golfer and an elite basketball player.
“I was really convinced that I was going to play basketball in college,” Myers said.
Myers felt she was good enough to do that, and so did those around her.
“She’s like Caitlin Clark, just a little shorter,” Schroeder said.
But Myers’ heart — and skill set — directed her to follow golf. After graduating, Myers will continue her playing career at Illinois.
“I’m really looking forward to bringing my game to the next level there,” she said. “I went to visit a few different Big Ten schools, and Illinois really stuck out.”
As for Kuwahara, she’s already harboring three-peat dreams.
“I know we want to come back as a team and win for a third time,” she said.
If the Spartans accomplish that, they would become the first team to win three consecutive state titles in 2A since the sport went to two classes for the 2006 season.
“This team is unbelievable,” Schroeder said. “I’m just so proud of them. Their belief in themselves just came through. They’re just the most deserving group of players, and they’re just fun, nice, cool kids on top of all that too. So it just makes it everything beautiful.
“They’re the best team in Illinois history.”
Sam Brief is a freelance reporter.