Scores go higher than usual at Batavia invite
The Fox Valley Golf Course is typically a sitting duck this time of year when Batavia convenes its annual get-together.
Marmion star Bryce Emory carved a 6-under-par 66 last year, and the entire Hinsdale Central boys golf squad was nearly double digits in the red in easing to the team title a season ago.
Marmion junior Tim Johnson was looking to enjoy some home cooking as well on Saturday; the Cadets' play their home matches at the North Aurora layout.
"Obviously, (the course) played a lot different than last year," Johnson said after his 4-over 76 left him in ninth place overall. "The scores were so much lower a year ago."
The golf season is as rapidly conducted as a downhill put at Augusta National, and the local teams and individuals are already sizing up the stretch run, which dominated the coaches' clubhouse conversations with the IHSA releasing the regional pairings on Friday.
The Fenton and Batavia tournaments, conducted in back-to-back weeks, have many of the same combatants doing battle on consecutive weekends: West Suburban Silver power Lyons Township completed a clean sweep of the mid-season barometers with a 303 Saturday afternoon.
But Benet, seeking a return trip to the Class 3A state finals in Bloomington, is also peaking as the Redwings were second - for the second straight week - two back of the Lions with their 305 collective effort.
John Callahan, the Redwings' battle-hardened all-state product, obviated an uncharacteristic 43 on the front nine with a sizzling 2-under 34 on the back to start the Redwings' inward surge.
Pat Callahan continued the Benet run with a 3-birdie binge over a five-hole stretch on the back nine, coming home with a 1-over 73 to forge a four-way tie for medalist.
"(The birdie blitz) helped get some momentum going to the front nine," said Callahan, no relation to John Callahan, the Redwings' ace who was fifth in state two years ago as a sophomore. "I got up and down a lot to save par. I wasn't hitting it that well but scrambled around a lot."
Callahan settled for third individually after the top foursome had the tiebreaker resolved with a scorecard playoff.
Alex Craig and Matt Giblin made it four Benet scores lower than 80 with a 76 and 79, respectively.
"I'm really pleased with the way we've played the last three weeks," Benet coach Dan Nagis said. "We have had very good balance across the board. I thought Pat Callahan's score was huge."
Naperville North, coming off a critical DuPage Valley Conference dual-meet run, was fourth after top-gun Ben Nelson also blazed a 34 on the back nine to turn around a 6-over outward nine.
"I got unlucky on a couple of holes (the sixth and seventh) on the front nine," said Nelson. "I took and double and a triple on those two holes."
Spencer Tanaka and Dan and Dave Considine also broke 80 to augment the Huskies' cause, which ended a stroke shy of third-place Joliet Catholic.
Glenbard West, Waubonsie Valley and Wheaton Warrenville South were a mere shot apart as the three historically rich programs solidify their status for the mid-September to mid-October drive.
Glenbard West sophomore Kyle Kochevar has his eyes on another trip to state, and the southpaw went out in level-par 36 to frame his team-best 76.
Waubonsie Valley, currently undefeated in the Upstate Eight Conference, had four players in the 70s.
State returnee Josh Stefanski and Dylan Despot led the Warriors with 78s.
Chris McCaffrey had a 77 to lead four equally consistent WW South players.
"We have some wood to chop," said WW South coach Jimmie Selleck. "We're not where we want to be."
Connor Tierney had the last local top-10 finish with a 75 to lead Downers North.
Adam Turner, Brian McKeown, Richie VanVoorhis, Eric Lederman and Dan Stevens were the respective low men for Glenbard South, Lake Park, Wheaton North, Montini and Fenton.
The two St. Charles high school cannot seem to foster any separation when they met, regardless of the circumstances.
The Saints had all six of their players shoot an 80 or lower, and the North Stars ultimately finished with the same 315 team total as Nate Clark was the lone player to shoot in the red on the front with a 35.
The junior finished with a 77 to lead the North Stars, and the Saints' top player, Jordan Wetsch, had the same score to pace St. Charles East.
Wes Apple and Rich Geier had 79s for the Saints, who won the tiebreaker from their community and conference rivals with shared 80s by Jon Woods, Nate Esler and Kyle Cook.
"We needed a couple of guys to be a couple of strokes better," said St. Charles East coach John Stock. "The scores were higher (than years past). We have to keep getting better."
Chris Thomas' 78 furthered St. Charles North, which received a 79 from Kyle DalDegan and 81s by Jake Helgeson and Kris Davison.
"We got a good effort by everybody," said St. Charles North coach Rob Prentiss. "We're still going to get better. We're 3-3 in the league (Upstate Eight) right now, and only 4 shots from being 5-1."
Host Batavia and fellow course tenant Marmion were a shot apart at 322 and 323.
John Vacek had a 79 to lead the Bulldogs, who also had Grant Pufahl, Nathan Podraza and Tim Schofield contribute.
Johnson came home in 37 to flavor his team-leading effort by 6 shots for Marmion.
"I hit the ball really good, but I couldn't get any putts to drop," Johnson said.
Jake Ettlebrick and Ryan Heun had four combined nine-hole scores in the 30s to lead first-time participant Aurora Christian, which matched the Cadets' 323 finish.
Ettlebrick was eighth overall after finding himself on the short end of a three-way tiebreaker at 3-over 75.
"I was getting up and down for par most of the time," Ettlebrick said. "I hit a lot of big, long drives on the short par-4s, and that helped out a lot, too."
Hayley Guyton has attracted well-deserved attention as the No. 1 player at Kaneland.
The two-time reigning Class AA girls state qualifier fired an 84, which Josh Schuberg bettered by three to lead the Knights' 336 team total.
Adam Baumann paced West Aurora by authoring nine-hole rounds of 40 and 38.