Boys golf: St. Charles East, Bartlett are Upstate Eight champs
St. Andrews was once again a perfect tonic for St. Charles East Monday afternoon in West Chicago.
Danny Buetow bested all players in the two divisions of the Upstate Eight Conference boys golf championship with a 71 to lead the Saints' 306-308 triumph over previously undefeated Geneva.
It was a second straight River Division championship for St. Charles East.
The first Bartlett Valley title since the inception of the divisional concept six years ago was much more anxious.
Bartlett needed a seventh-card tiebreaker against South Elgin after the sister schools were deadlocked at 331 after regulation.
Mike Bertke had a third-place 76, and Mason Meadows' 78 anchored the Saints' triumph over Geneva. Dylan Cook (80) had the Saints' fourth score.
The Saints' players possess a shared penchant for rising to the challenge at critical times at St. Andrews.
"This is a course we have all grown up playing on," Buetow said of the Saints' legacy at the par-71 layout. "We know the course, we know the holes. We have confidence in our games. We just come (to St. Andrews) and put up the best numbers we can."
St. Charles North (315) received matching 75s from Michael Strasczuk and Tyler Barton to ease past the 320 Batavia posted for third place.
Larkin, Elgin and Streamwood rounded out the final three slots.
Geneva had been virtually impregnable this season behind Tyler Isenhart, the two-time MVP after his runner-up 75, and Andrew Abel, who finished with a 77. Casey Prentiss' 77 was worth fifth place for the Vikings in a scorecard playoff.
But it was not enough for the Vikings.
"It's not too difficult (to stomach)," Abel said of the defeat. "We all kind of struggled out there. I had a couple of rough holes, personally, a couple of doubles on my back nine today. My ball-striking was a little off."
"We had a good practice (Tuesday) night," St. Charles East coach John Stock said. "I don't know if it is an upset, but (the Vikings will) be ready for us Tuesday (at the Class 3A Geneva regional)."
Cam Marbach and Rocco Carbonara fired matching 79s to pace Batavia.
In the Valley, Jarek Farabaugh was the difference for Bartlett in completing a flawless conference season.
"I did not think that was going to happen," Bartlett low man Alex Salatino (80) said of the tiebreaker on the third criteria. "Our seventh person (Farabaugh) is a big part of our team. I think I played really well. I stayed away from big mistakes."
Nate Gorniak (83), Brett Grabarek (84) and Joey Tomzin (84) were the other contributing Bartlett players.
Nathan Mehta fashioned a fifth-place 80 to lead South Elgin.
"There were definitely some holes where I could have played better," the Storm senior said.
Glenbard East (335), West Aurora (341) and West Chicago (355) rounded out the field; East Aurora had individuals in the underclass meet only.
Ryan Vanderway was once again the class of the Valley in his second conference campaign.
For the second straight year, the West Aurora sophomore was not only medalist with a 75 but also division MVP.
"I don't really like to think about a (score) because it kind of competes with you out on the course," Vanderway said. "I just wanted to play well. I just tried to come out and get into my routine. I'm happy with the way I played."
Glenbard East faces an extraordinary test at the Class 3A Hinsdale Central regional on Tuesday, but the Rams ended the regular season on a positive note.
Tyler Reitz was one of only three Valley players to break 80 as the junior had a 79 to finish third.
"I struck the ball fairly well," Reitz said. "My putting was kind of there. My proximity to the hole, my irons were pretty good. I made some good comeback putts (for par)."
Nick Donovan, Ryan Kelly and Charlie Mahay completed the Rams' scorecard with respective rounds of 83, 84 and 89.
"It was our goal at the beginning of the season to be in the top half of the conference in the Valley," Glenbard East coach Chris Weinke said. "That is our low tournament score in probably 10 years. A 335 for us is like a 275 for (four-time defending state champion) Hinsdale Central. It is pretty good for us."
Jason Gimre gained top-three status for the second consecutive year; the West Chicago junior was runner-up to Vanderway with a 77.
"I had a lot of great par putts throughout the round," Gimre said. "My driving overall was outstanding, and that gave me some short irons into the greens."
Kishwaukee River: Burlington Central shot a 335 at Blackstone to win the first Kishwaukee River Conference championship. Joe Sherman led the Rockets with a 76, which was good for second place overall. Jordan Souvigny (84) and Anthony Divito (85) also earned all-conference honors while Pat Laird rounded out the BC scoring with a 90.
Northern Illinois Big XII: Kaneland shot a 314 at Oak Ridge in Seneca to win the NI Big XII championship. The Knights were led by seniors Brett Glennon and Jake Hed, who shot 74 and 76 respectively. That was good enough to earn them second and third place as individuals. It is Kaneland's first varsity conference championship since 2012.
Metro Suburban Blue: Aurora Central Catholic senior Mac Cowen was the individual champion of the MSC Blue tournament with a 78 at The Sanctuary in New Lenox. The Chargers shot a 345 to finish fourth as a team, 20 shots behind division champ Wheaton Academy.
Metro Suburban Red: Also at The Sanctuary, St. Edward finished fourth as a team with a 392. Steve Poremba led the Green Wave with an 80, good for fourth place individually. Chicago Christian won the team title with a 318.