Geneva completes perfect River record
The showdown for supremacy in the Upstate Eight Conference River proved anti-climatic Wednesday afternoon at Mill Creek Golf Club.
Behind its superlative depth and balance, Geneva concluded a flawless regular-season run in a battle of unbeaten boys golf programs with a 156-164 triumph over St. Charles East.
“Eight shots is not close in a dual match,” St. Charles East coach John Stock said.
Geneva top gun Bill Gregory and underclass newcomer Brett Hassels fired matching 38s to lead the Vikings’ latest conquest.
“We have taken care of business on our home turf,” said Geneva coach Bill Koehn, whose squad improved to 7-2 overall, 6-0 in the league. “You have to be able to do that in high school golf, especially with the way the (conference) points system works. Our depth has carried us.”
St. Charles East, which faces St. Charles North, Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley in a quadrangular Thursday, fell to 5-3, 4-1.
The moment of truth for Gregory arrived on the notoriously inhospitable par-3 16th green on the inward nine of the Geneva layout.
After consecutive bogeys appeared to send his round in the wrong direction, Gregory converted a key 6-footer for par.
“I kept hitting terrible lag putts,” Gregory said. “I was leaving myself six- and eight-footers just to save par. I made a lot good comeback putts. (My score) could have been a 42 instead of a 38.”
Hassels’ round began in entirely different fashion in the modified shotgun start.
The Vikings’ sophomore had birdies on two of his opening four holes to initiate what could have been a special afternoon in the blustery conditions.
Two bogeys and a double-bogey subsequently ensued, but Hassels’ round from the sixth slot testified to the Vikings’ depth.
“You just sort of go out there, have fun and play well,” Hassels said of playing at the bottom of the eight-man conference lineup. “I was hitting my irons well. (My total) could have been a lot better.”
Southpaw Colin Lillibridge and senior Adam Milano completed the Vikings’ aggregate scorecard with 40s from the second and fourth spots, respectively.
“We have played very well at home this season,” Koehn said.
The Saints, meanwhile, failed to have any of their eight players break 40.
Brad Riva had a 40 as the seventh man to lead St. Charles East, which also received contributions from Jimmy Liss (41), Keone Derain (41), Max Kelly (42) and Sean Lenchner (42).
“It is what it is without any returning starters,” Stock said. “It’s a work in progress (for us). One-hundred and 56 is a good score (for Geneva). At this point they are clearly the River Division’s best team.”