Boys golf: McDonald, Geneva snare regional titles
Geneva freshman Jack McDonald waited patiently on the 18th green at The Highlands of Elgin Tuesday while St. Charles East senior Daniel Haugen lined up his putt.
If Haugen made the 12-footer, the two would go on to a second playoff hole. But Haugen's putt, true as it appeared, lipped out, giving McDonald medalist honors of the Class 3A Larkin boys golf regional after the two finished even after 18 holes with par-72 rounds.
McDonald was one of four Viking golfers in the 70s as Geneva shot a season-low 292 to claim the regional championship. St. Charles East (309) and South Elgin (318) secured the other qualifying spots to next Monday's St. Charles East sectional at St. Andrews.
"It feels good," said McDonald of winning the regional title in his rookie high school season. "I put a great drive on it (on the playoff hole)."
McDonald had finished his round well ahead of Haugen, who birdied 18 to force the playoff.
"I was getting off the tee pretty solid," said McDonald. "Even when I was missing I was getting up and down. My swing has been pretty good and I've been playing good golf. I knew I could go low but I didn't really have a number in mind. I'll take it, though."
Haugen, meanwhile, was disappointed to not win medalist honors but happy that he and his Saints teammates are moving on to sectional play.
"I started out with a birdie and was feeling pretty good but then I double-bogeyed No. 2 so I just had to keep my head in it," he said. "I'm just happy we came out like we did today and we're moving on to sectionals."
For Geneva, senior JT Kruzich and freshman Tyler Isenhart each carded 73s and junior Andrew Abel 74 as the Vikes bested their previous best 18-hole round of the season by 9 strokes.
"It's a wonderful feeling," said Geneva coach Eric Hatczel. "The past three weeks we've definitely been dropping scores. It's been phenomenal. Coming into today I told my assistant coach Jack and Tyler were going to be dangerous because they don't have enough experience to understand the pressure."
Haugen's round was backed up by a 78 from sophomore Dan Buetow, a 79 from sophomore Mason Meadows and an 80 out of junior Mike Bertke for the Saints' second-place finish.
South Elgin was led by a 76 from senior Dan Smith as the Storm edged St. Charles North by 2 strokes for the final team qualifying spot.
"I was hitting the ball pretty pure but I left about five birdie putts out there that would have made a big difference," said Smith, who advanced out of regionals for the first time. "I'm pretty happy moving on to sectionals now I just have to work on my chipping and putting mainly."
The Storm got a 77 from sophomore JV call-up Nathan Mehta, 80 from senior Nate Ressler and 85 from junior Kyle Russel to move on for the first time in program history as a team.
"I've been telling them all week they had a chance," said Storm coach Gordon Brown. "North is a good team but I know my guys and I knew they had a chance."
Despite missing the team cut, St. Charles North did advance five golfers to the sectional round. Seniors Trevor Kurtzhals and Nikolai Janchik each shot 79 for the North Stars while junior Jake Muehlschlegel had an 80, junior Michael Stasczuk 82 and junior Tyler Barton 84, which was the individual cut.
"That is kind of rare," said North coach Rob Prentiss of advancing five players as individuals. "But since we've gone to three classes and regionals are smaller it tends to happen once in a while. I'm happy my five guys will get to compete at the sectional. That's great."
Other individual qualifiers included Glenbard North senior Kyle Tintera (76), Streamwood senior Chase Pantle (79), Bartlett sophomore Nathen Gorniak (82), Elgin sophomore Michael Johnson (84) and Glenbard North junior Sahil Patel (84).