St. Edward 3rd at state
St. Edward boys golfers Eric Winters and Michael Holevas have been friends dating back to the second grade at St. Thomas More School in Elgin.
Winters said the two friends had dreamed for quite some time of playing in the state high school golf finals together.
That dream became a reality this weekend and came into vivid clarity Saturday after Winters and Holevas helped St. Edward finish third as a team in the Class 1A state finals at Prairie Vista in Bloomington.
The third-place showing gave St. Edward its seventh state trophy in program history and first since 1991 (also a third-place finish). St. Edward also took third in 1977 and 1978, took second in 1979 and 1983 and won a state title in 1981.
“It feels nice, said Winters, a senior. “It's kind of nice to go out on top. We've been working on this for 4 years. It feels nice to accomplish your goals.
St. Edward finished with a 2-day total of 639, which included a 329 on Saturday.
Holevas finished in a tie for eighth place overall (153) and earned a state individual medal. He shot 80 on Saturday (2 birdies).
Winters led St. Edward Saturday with a 77 (2 birdies). He finished in a tie for 15th overall with a 2-day total of 154.
“I was striking the ball pretty well, Winters said. “I seem to play well in the wind. I had birdies on 9 and 13 and those were downwind so that helped make those holes play a lot shorter.
St. Edward also counted an 84 from freshman Dan Winters (167 total) and an 88 from Blake Poremba (165 total). Senior Ryan DiCristofoano and sophomore Brian Jones also played in the state finals for the Green Wave.
“We've worked for this all year, Holevas said. “All of that worked paid off in the end. We realized this was a pretty good year to do this. Eric and Blake were seniors this year and Blake has improved a lot. We realized this year was probably our best chance.
“I'm really proud of them, St. Edward coach Dr. Greg Winters said. “It was fantastic. The goal all year long was to make it to the state tournament. It was an up and down day. It was windy, but they hung in there.
Class 3A Boys: Crystal Lake South junior Nick Robles had a state tournament to remember. Robles was tied with Waubonsie Valley senior Thomas O'Bryan for first place at in regulation (both golfers shot 148), but ended up finishing second after losing a 2-hole playoff.
Both golfers shot 4 on the first playoff hole (No. 1), but Robles double-bogeyed the second playoff hole (No. 18), while O'Bryan bogeyed the hole to win the state championship.
Robles shot 76 Saturday to finish with a two-day total of 148. Robles carded 4 birdies in his final round (holes 1, 3, 10 and 11). He shot 41 on the front and 35 on the back. Robles survived a triple bogey on the ninth hole. He had 8 pars in the round en route to earning a state medal.
“What a great day, said South coach Curt Wadlington. “It could not have been any more fun. Nick fought his way through it and got it done. It was a great way to finish his junior year.
Robles' runner-up finish is the second-highest in program history trailing only Pete Leveille, who won the Class AA state title in 1981. Robles is South's first boys golf medalist in a decade (Brian Carroll took 6th in 2000). Robles is only one of 2 South golfers to ever finish in the Top 3 at state (Leveille also took third in 1980).
Jacobs senior Scott Cahill tied for 19th overall with a 2-day total of 157. Cahill shot 79 (40-39) Saturday. He had 3 birdies in the round.
Class 2A Boys: Burlington Central's first trip to the state finals saw it finish in ninth as a team at Illinois State University's Weibring Golf Course in Normal.
Central finished with a 2-day total of 679 (339-340). Rockets' freshman Matt Weber earned a state medal by tying for eighth place with a 2-day total of 159. Weber shot 79 Saturday (41-39), which included a pair of birdies.
“It was all right, Weber said. “I struggled halfway through, but I hung in there. There were some tough conditions. It was windy and it was pretty cold on the morning. It was dry out there, which made the conditions tough.
Weber credited his short game for helping through his round.
“It was definitely putting, he said. “Everything else was a little off. Putting saved me today.
In addition to Weber, Central counted an 85 from Luke Fleming (165 total), an 86 from Matt Allison (182 total) and a 90 from Lukas Smith (172 total). Senior Brent Wilkening and junior Alex Power also competed for the Rockets at state.
“It was fun having the whole team here, Weber said. “We had a good time. This was the first time a team ever went down here. It was a blast.
Class AA Girls: At Hickory Point in Forsyth, Hampshire senior Taylor Ellett cut a pair of strokes off her first-day total to finish in 20th place overall. Ellett shot 79 (39-40) on Saturday after shooting 81 the previous day. She parred 11 of the 18 holes.
Taylor Ellett finished her high school career as a 4-time state qualifier. She took 43rd as a junior, 46th as a sophomore and 21st as a freshman (Class A).
Her junior sister, Connie Ellett, finished with an 86 (44-42) and ended in 23rd place in the tournament with a 2-day total of 162.