Boys golf: Batavia defends its title at West Chicago invite

Cam Marbach continued his fine play from last weekend.

The Batavia senior was coming off a career-low 76 at his home boys golf invitational last Saturday but was far better Monday afternoon in West Chicago.

Marbach negated 3 bogeys with 4 birdies to win the Wildcat Invitational in as dominant an individual fashion and his team was powerless to stop.

Touring venerable St. Andrews Golf and Country Club with a 1-under 71, Marbach paced four Batavia players in the 70s.

The Bulldogs' 303 total was 25 shots better than South Elgin, which eased past Bartlett (330) for runner-up status.

"I really started to know I was playing well when I was able to get up and down from very difficult spots," Marbach said. "My driver was working well again today. My putting was good. I practice every day. That confidence helps carry me into tournaments."

"We defended our (team) title," Batavia coach Tim DeBruycker said.

Rocco Carbonara won a scorecard playoff with South Elgin junior Nathan Mehta after each player finished with 76s to snare second place overall.

The Bulldogs' Justin Schutt and Drew Holl were not far behind with respective scores of 77 and 79.

Robert Carr was top 10 with his 80, but Batavia did not even require the score from its top-rated player.

"When you're not counting your No. 1 (golfer) and win the invite, you're having a good day," DeBruycker said. "Rocco has been consistent all year."

"My iron play was not that bad today, but my short game helped me," Carbonara said. "The greens were hard to read. They were running slow."

West Chicago was fourth at its 10-team tournament with a 350, followed by Glenbard North (354), Hoffman Estates (355), Willowbrook (363), Elgin (393), Bolingbrook (396) and Streamwood (442).

Mehta was third overall.

"I played well," the Storm junior said. "I didn't make any big mistakes. I kept the ball in play. I made more birdies (4), which really helped the scorecard out today."

With no margin for error with only four competitors, the Storm received respectable contributions from Nick Poblocki (81), Jack Watkins (83) and Kevin Loader (88).

Bartlett received a major boost from its No. 4 player as Alex Salatino finished with a 79.

"Very good for me," said Salatino, who chipped in for birdie on his ninth hole to highlight his round. "My best score ever."

Jack Sitter and Jake Gaston were the respective leaders for Elgin and Streamwood.

West Chicago junior Jason Gimre needed a boost as he was making the turn in the shotgun start.

Coming to the last hole on his outward-nine - No. 18 - Gimre faced a dicey up and down in front of the green.

But Gimre negotiated the lengthy chip to perfection in rolling in the par save.

The up-and-down served as an impetus to his final nine as the Wildcats' leader was 1-over 35 on the front nine at St. Andrews to finish in fourth place with a 77.

"To reassure my short game, it helped a lot," Gimre said of the up-and-in from 50-ish feet. "I putted really well. I made some great par putts that saved my round. I had five 1-putts (for par)."

"(Gimre) is the leader of the team," West Chicago coach Nick Kempski said. "He practices hard. Fourth-place is a pretty good score for us."

Jacob Bender fired an 82 to lead Glenbard North.

Tim Keefe and Joey Guthrie had 88s to pace Willowbrook.