Vitale a bridge to Viator success
Matt Vitale is a tweener on the powerful St. Viator boys golf team.
Vitale is one of the few juniors on a squad laden with extremely talented sophomores Danny Stringfellow, Joe Carlson and Brad Klune and rock-solid seniors Mike Ferrari, Matt Crandall and Johnny Stringfellow.
But don't judge standout Vitale on his grade in school. The third-year varsity player, a key to the Lions chances in the 2007 state-title run, says that's not important to him or his teammates.
"We don't define ourselves by that," Vitale said. "Everyone knows their role, and our sophomores are just as mature as our seniors and juniors. We're a team."
A team that has an outstanding chance of finishing the season with a title trophy after falling just short last year with a second-place finish at the state tournament in Bloomington.
Viator won Tuesday's Buffalo Grove Class 3A regional with a spectacular score of 293, outdistancing their nearest competitor by 17 shots to earn the right to play in next week's sectional tournament at their home course of Old Orchard Country Club.
Vitale, a resident of Elk Grove, comes by his golf talent naturally.
He learned the game from his father, Jim, a former varsity golf coach at Driscoll.
"I would hang out (at the meets), on the putting green," said Vitale. "Then when I was about 11, I started to take the game seriously. I played every day during the summer and got involved with the IJGA (Illinois Junior Golf Association."
"He's a very solid player," said friend and teammate Klune.
Vitale, a sophomore when Klune and his classmates made the varsity team as freshmen last season, made the transition to high school golf an easy one for the younger players.
"They took an interest in us, and made us feel part of the team," said Klune, referring not only to Vitale but also Viator grads Taylor Krug, Phil Makowski and Nick de Trempe, integral parts of the 2006 record-setting squad.
"It was sad to see them (the graduating seniors) go," added Klune, "but our team just keeps getting better and better."
St. Viator claimed another East Suburban Catholic Conference title this year but missed Vitale, who couldn't play in the ESCC tourney because of a hand injury suffered in a flag football game.
No worries, says the junior -- his teammates picked him up.
"I wasn't that disappointed," said Vitale, "because I knew we had guys who could step in and play great. Matt Crandall and Mike Ferrari both had tremendous rounds (at the tournament.)."
Now Vitale is completely healed and ready for battle at Old Orchard, where he's confident and hopeful of success against some top area schools, including New Trier.
"I think our biggest opponent is ourselves," Vitale said. "We have to stay within ourselves, do the job, and keep fighting all the way. We can't make stupid mistakes -- as our coach (Jack Halpin) always says, 'no doubles, no triples.' "