Tri-Cities golf preview: As good as it gets

He has been on the national radar as a gifted golfer since he was in middle school.

Blake Biddle has traversed the country playing in events, immersed in fields as treacherously talented as they were international in composition.

"There are so many talented players out there," Biddle said. "I always like playing with better players."

It has been a whirlwind past couple of months for the Wheaton Academy senior, who lives in St. Charles.

Last spring, in the aftermath of yet another series of national tournaments, Biddle orally committed to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, choosing the Rebels over similar offers from North Carolina, Texas A&M and Southern Methodist.

"The golf facilities (at UNLV) are unbelievable," Biddle said. "The coach there (Dwaine Knight) knows so much about getting (players) to the next level."

Wheaton Academy made the most of its trip to central Illinois this past week; Biddle left the ISU course in Normal - the site of the Class 2A state meet - in shambles after blistering the field with a 64.

The Warriors, who also feature St. Charles resident Jeff Berg and C.J. Urbanowski from Geneva, were third in the state last year.

The squad hopes to end the six-year stranglehold Normal U-High has had on schools its size at the state tournament.

"This is the deepest team I've ever had," said Wheaton Academy coach Bob Broman, who has a peerless one-two punch in Biddle and the defending Class 2A state champion, David Flynn. "I think flying under the radar is over with. They're not going to give us the (state-championship) trophy. They're still going to hold the tournament."

With the likes of Biddle, Berg and Urbanowski, the Warriors have depth throughout their respective academic classes.

The quality of the program is such, according to Biddle, that regular-season dual meets and tournaments, as well as practices, have much riding on them.

"It's really going to be hard to be in the top six (for the postseason)," Biddle said. "There's always going to be something at stake (at each event). I'd love to win state as a team; I could care less how I finish individually if we win state."

In order to accomplish their team mission, Biddle said the maturation of Urbanowski and his teammates are critical.

"I think (Urbanowski) is a really big (part) of our team," Biddle said. "He may not hit it real far off the tee, but he knows how to score."

In the largest boys golf division, there are plenty of other local players wishing their leave their mark on the state this fall.

St. Charles East senior Wes Apple returns after following his breakthrough fall last with an equally torrid summer.

His teammate, Jordan Wetsch, is also eying another big season; the junior is the defending Upstate Eight Conference individual champion.

Batavia senior Tim Schofield also has an individual conference title to his credit from his sophomore year, and Geneva junior Andrew Cisco is another solid bet to hoist the Western Sun individual plaque this fall.