Scouting: DuPage County boys golf teams
Top area teams: Hinsdale Central, Wheaton Academy, Benet, Neuqua Valley, Naperville North, Waubonsie Valley, Wheaton Warrenville South, Naperville Central, York, West Chicago.
Top athletes: Addison Trail: Jimmy Jaskoske, soph.; Benet: John Callahan, sr., Pat Callahan, sr., Nick Bonfitto, sr.; Fenton: Pratesh Patel, sr.; Glenbard East: Jake Waas, sr.; Glenbard South: Mitch McNeily, sr., Matt Consenza, sr.; Glenbard West: Eric Boockford, sr., Mitch Bly, sr., Kyle Kochevar, soph.; Hinsdale Central: Theo Lederhausen, sr., Sean Marquardt, sr., Cooper Travis, sr., Chris Meyer, sr.; Immaculate Conception: Tom Hart, sr., Pat Haggerty, jr.; Lake Park: Max Gordon, sr., Troy Butler, soph.; Lisle: Adam Kuzma, jr.; Naperville Central: Alex Muller, sr., John Doyle, sr., Jeremy Dlabal, sr.; Naperville North: Ben Nelson, sr., Nick Buege, jr.; Neuqua Valley: Stephen Powers, sr., Kyle Geist, sr., Austin Mitchell, jr.; St. Francis: Keegan O'Rahilly, sr., Larry Murison, sr.; Waubonsie Valley: Josh Stefanski, jr., Thomas O'Bryan, jr., Brian Salerno, jr., Alex Koulos, soph.; West Chicago: Blair Skarin, sr., Robby Windisch, jr., Kyle Martens, soph.; Wheaton Academy: David Flynn, sr., Blake Biddle, sr., Jeff Berg, sr., Lars Olson, soph.; Wheaton Warrenville South: Chris McCaffrey, sr., Jay Plepel, jr., Tee-K Kelly, soph.; York: Jake Wilms, sr., Dan Borel, sr., Matt Boria, sr., Ken Pankau, sr., Jack Gunst, jr.
Scouting report: St. Viator was the ace in the hole for determining the central storyline for the boys golf season. The two-time defending Class 3A state champions successfully appealed the IHSA decision placing the Arlington Heights school in Class 2A this season. The result: great news for Wheaton Academy, perhaps not so good for Hinsdale Central.
This may finally be the year that Wheaton Academy slays the dragon otherwise known as Normal U-High. The Warriors were third last year to the downstate power that has won six consecutive state championships, but the first state boys championship in any sport is within reach for the Warriors. "This is the deepest team I've ever had," said Wheaton Academy coach Bob Broman. "I think flying under the radar is over with. They're not going to hand us the (state-championship) trophy." The Warriors boast an eclectic lineup featuring defending state champion Flynn and Biddle, the UNLV recruit who shot a blistering 7-under-par 64 Tuesday at the ISU state championship layout. "We have a goal that we want to accomplish," Flynn said. "We are going to have to clean up the bottom of our order. (The game) is not about hitting the perfect shot, but hitting the smart shot."
Hinsdale Central was state runner-up in the largest class last season to St. Viator, and fourth-year coach Jess Krueger has advanced the Red Devils to state as a team in his first three years at the helm. Lederhausen was in the mid-60s during tryouts, and his scorecard typically has as much red as an English teacher grading a grammatically suspect essay. Marquardt, Travis and Meyer all return from the Red Devils' state lineup as well.
Benet has three returning athletes from its second team appearance at Bloomington this decade; John Callahan was fifth as a sophomore and leads the equally deep Redwings this fall for a third straight year. "Last year was an incredible experience," said Benet coach Dan Nagis. "There's no reason why we can't replicate it."
Neuqua Valley was a machine during the regular season and regional, sweeping crowns en route to the sectional. But Geist was the only Neuqua Valley player to make the state cut. The Wildcats' sister school in Aurora, Waubonsie Valley, is another program with grand visions. The Warriors have a talent-rich junior class headed by Stefanski, who qualified for the big dance, as well as O'Bryan and Salerno. O'Bryan fired a sizzling 69 at Mistwood on Wednesday morning to capture the Plainfield Central Invitational.
Naperville North and Naperville Central are once again anxious to prove their mettle. Nelson, the Huskies' stalwart, is the most recognizable asset, but each school has a freshman with unlimited potential. Remember the names of ninth-graders Raymond Knoll and Peter Mandich. The latter has already garnered national recognition and will tee it up for the Huskies; Mandich is equally formidable as an incoming freshman for the Redhawks. Wheaton Warrenville South advanced to the sectional last year, and Tigers coach Jimmie Selleck has his typical array of weapons. "I think I have a good group of kids," Selleck said. "And that's what it's all about." Kelly is a sophomore to watch. Jaskoske and Kochevar from the West Suburban Conference have also survived freshman year and are ready for an encore. Jaskoske, the Addison Trail sophomore, made mincemeat of George Dunne National, one of the most respected public layouts in Cook County, in fashioning a 69 earlier this week. "(Jaskoske) is playing really well right now," said Addison Trail coach Tom Hubner. "He has come into his own."
Kochevar has also turned heads during his short high school tenure. "(Kochevar) is one of the top five players in the state," said St. Charles East coach John Stock. Remaining in the realm of brilliant underclassmen, longtime Fenton coach Pat Tantillo welcomes Oliver Dobon to the team with senior leader Patel as the Bison usher in the expanded Metro Suburban Conference. "(Dobon) has had a pretty extraordinary junior career," Tantillo said.
The two West Suburban Conference divisions retain their typical fiery personality. York, with five returning sectional qualifiers, including Jake Helms, who won the Geneva title on Thursday with a 69, Glenbard West and Downers Grove North are legitimate challengers to Hinsdale Central and Lyons Township. In the Gold Downers South seeks a seventh consecutive league title. Glenbard South will bid adieu to the Western Sun Conference behind sectional returnees McNeily and Cosenza. Immaculate Conception has returning Class A state qualifiers Haggerty and Hart to flavor the Suburban Christian Conference.
Key dates: Aug. 31, Biltmore Classic; Sept. 5, Fenton Invitational; Sept. 12, Batavia Invitational; Sept. 19, Dundee-Crown Invitational; Sept. 26, Hinsdale Central Invitational; week of Sept. 28, conference championships; Oct. 3, Lake Park Invitational; Oct. 3, New Trier Invitational.
Predicted state champions: Class 1A: Benton; Class 2A: Wheaton Academy; Class 3A: St. Viator.
- Kevin McGavin