Scouting Fox Valley area boys golf regionals
Class 3A Streamwood regional
At Bartlett Hills
Outlook: The five Elgin Area School District U-46 schools are part of a tough field at Bartlett Hills today, one that includes Upstate Eight Conference runner-up St. Charles East. South Elgin has had the strongest season of the U-46 schools. The Storm, which finished fourth at the UEC meet, have been consistent all season, as they were at St. Andrews last week. They are led by senior Drew Buddle, junior Xavier Owens, senior Jack Reagen, junior Ryan Pondel and senior Nick Schweisthal. Buddle and Pondel were sectional qualifiers last year and Larkin qualified as a team when Ryan Smith and Scott Harm, now seniors, each shot 75s. Smith then went on to qualify for state. Individually, Bartlett senior Anthony Burdi should also be in the mix to advance to next Monday's St. Charles East sectional back at St. Andrews. Ryan Hamlin shot a 79 at conference to lead Streamwood and Russell Clinton was Elgin's top performer at the UEC meet. Also in the field at Bartlett Hills are Geneva, St. Charles North, Glenbard North and West Chicago. The top three teams (ties broken) and the top eight individuals not on a qualifying team advance to sectionals.
Class 3A McHenry regional
At Oak Grove
Outlook: Fox Valley Conference champion Cary-Grove joins a tough field here that includes FVC third-place finisher Crystal Lake South, Mid-Suburban League runner-up Barrington and North Suburban Conference runner-up Mundelein. Cary-Grove was led at the FVC meet by consistency. Ryan Laughlin shot 78, Matt Efflandt 79, Scott Brady 80 and Mike Olszewski 82. Efflandt, who made it to state, and Laughlin each qualified for sectionals last year, as did Crystal Lake South sophomore Nick Robles, who won a regional championship as a freshman. He shot 78 at conference to finish fifth. Individually, Lake Zurich's Mike Nutter and Barrington's Marc Ackerman were runners-up last week at their respective conference meets. Advancers from this regional will play in the Lake Forest sectional at Lake Bluff Golf Club next Monday.
Class 3A Harlem regional
At Atwood Homestead Golf Course
Outlook: Dundee-Crown, Huntley and Jacobs join a field that includes six schools from the NIC-10, including Rockford Boylan and two-time NIC-10 champ Corey Konieczki. Jacobs has the individual Fox Valley Conference champion in Scott Cahill and Dundee-Crown's Joe Aschacher and Jarreyy Wollenberg were in the top 20 at the FVC meet. Ryan Craig, Brian Ackerman and Greg Scime were Huntley's top players at the conference meet. Advancers here also play at Lake Bluff next Monday.
Class 2A Aurora Central Catholic regional
At Phillips Park
Outlook: Burlington Central is part of the 8-team ACC regional, which also includes IMSA, Marmion, Glenbard South, Montini, Wheaton Academy and St. Francis. Burlington Central finished second in the Big Northern Conference meet last week and the Rockets are led by Luke Fleming, Kyle Brooks, Matt Allison and Drew Kissel, who each earned all-conference recognition. Wheaton Academy won the Suburban Christian Conference meet last week with UNLV recruit Blake Biddle claiming the conference championship. The Warriors also have the defending Class 2A state champion in David Flynn. As with Class 3A, the top three teams (tie broken) and the top eight individuals not on a qualifying team advance to the Wheaton Academy sectional at Pheasant Run next Monday.
Class 2A Prairie Ridge regional
At Prairie Isle
Outlook: A diverse field that includes Hampshire will be at Prairie Isle today. In addition to the Whip-Purs, the host school, Fenton, Chicago Academy, Chicago Lake View, Crystal Lake Central, Elmwood Park, Ridgewood, Guerin and Wauconda all compete here. Hampshire, which finished third in the Big Northern Conference meet last week, is led by brothers Grant and Jeremy Yoder. Grant Yoder is a returning state qualifier. The advancers here also play at Pheasant Run next Monday.
Class 1A
Outlook: St. Edward and Elgin Academy are among the 14-school field at the Timothy Christian regional at Oak Brook Golf Club. The Green Wave are led by sophomore Michael Holevas, who shot a 79 at last week's Suburban Christian Conference meet. Holevas was a state qualifier a year ago, while St. Edward junior Eric Winters is a returning sectional qualifier. In Class 1A only two teams (ties broken) advance to sectional, as well as the top eight players not on a qualifying team. Also in Class 1A, Westminster Christian will compete in the Rockford Christian Life regional at Elliot Golf Course. Advancers from both regionals move on to the Somonauk sectional at Edgebrook next Monday.