Boys golf: St. Viator swings into action with Rolling Green win
The St. Viator boys golf team started the year in picture-perfect fashion Monday at the Rolling Green Invitational.
Competing against a slew of local teams at the year's unofficial season-opening tournament, the Lions - fresh off a second-place state finish in 2017 - won the tourney going away by posting a 293 on a warm, sunny, nearly windless day in Arlington Heights.
St. Viator senior Timmy Crawford, who earned medalist honors by posting a 34-36-70, said his squad is looking for a return to the state meet.
"In theory our team's going to be good," said Crawford. "This year we've just got to treat every tournament like it's our last, not get ahead of ourselves and make sure we're ready for state when the time comes."
The Lions' Ryan O'Grady and Nolan Doherty both fired 73, good for a tie for the fifth place individual medal.
"It's a real confidence-booster," said O'Grady, a junior, of Viator's stellar performance. "It'll fuel us for the rest of the season."
"As a team, we were having a lot of fun out there," said O'Grady. "It's all about teamwork. You see all the different kids out on the golf course and sometimes you can feel alone, but when your teammates walk by they make you feel a little better, and that can pick you up."
Loyola finished second in the team race at 303, a full 10 shots behind the Lions.
Glenbrook North was third at 308, while Glenbrook South carded a 309 for fourth place.
Stevenson took fifth behind the play of Mark Noonan (75, tied for the 8th place individually) and Jackson Bussell, Conan Pan and Alex Kim, each of whom shot 80.
"It was absolutely gorgeous out here today," said Kim. "The course was in great shape, the greens were running pretty well, but it's tough because the course layout is really tight. Really difficult - but it's probably one of the nicer courses we play."
Hersey finished sixth overall, and the Huskies were led by Henry Quinn, who took home a medal by tying for eighth place with a 75.
Tyler Irwin excelled as well for Hersey with a 79.
Other top scores Monday from the local competitors came from Viator's EJ Reisinger, who carded a 77; Colin Robinson of Fremd, who also shot 77; Dori Lee of Buffalo Grove, who finished at 79; and Dan Meister of Schaumburg (79).
Senior Charlie Busch of Prospect had a 34 on the front 9, then followed that up with 38 over the final 9 holes to finish at 72, good for the fourth-place medal.
"Played very well on the front, then struggled a little bit on the back nine today," said Busch. "We've got a good team. It's all about going out there every time and seeing what we can do."