Geneva defends its title
There were at least 18 schools not yet in session on Thursday morning.
The boys golf season is in full sway as summer vacation winds down; several of the schools’ teams were playing in their third event on the fourth day of the official fall season at Mill Creek in Geneva.
For the second straight year it was host Geneva that took team honors behind its talent-laden twin squads that teed off on the par-71 layout.
“In my 28 years of coaching, this might be the most depth that I’ve ever had,” Geneva coach Bill Koehn said after Collin Lillibridge fired a 1-over-par 72 to lead five players in the 70s for the Vikings. “You don’t get depth like this very often.”
Lillibridge, a junior, fired a 2-under 34 on his inward-nine holes to frame his second-lowest career score.
“I was hitting my driver very well,” Lillibridge said. “I was hitting my irons very crisp. I think a big moment for me was (the par-5 No.) 17. I hit a chip to a foot and tapped in for birdie.”
Senior top gun Bill Gregory had a level-par 36 to frame his 76 for the Vikings; fifth and sixth men Pat Cuscaden and Matt Landry averaged the Gregory total with a respective 75 and 77 to flavor the Vikings’ aggregate 300 score.
“This is a good group,” Koehn said.
Batavia, fourth at Larkin on Wednesday, had another fine showing, firing a collective 309 to finish a distant second of its archrival to the north.
“That Upstate Eight (River Division) is going to be tight (this fall),” Batavia coach Tim DeBruycker said of the top two teams’ finish, plus fellow league member St. Charles North placing third.
Batavia junior Nathan Podraza tied for fourth with his 2-over 73 to lead three other teammates in the 70s.
“I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens (in regulation),” said Podraza, who recorded four birdies on his round. “I had one or two up-and-downs (for par), and that was pretty much it.”
Billy Zwick had a 78 for Batavia; Peter Rudd and Matt Milauskas had matching 79s for the Bulldogs.
Dan Shepard, the third man in the St. Charles North lineup, led the North Stars’ third-place showing — courtesy of a fifth-card tiebreaker with Bartlett — with cumulative nine-hole scores of 36 and 37 for his 2-over total.
“I was happy with my round,” Shepherd said. “The course is tight, but it was definitely a good round.”
Marmion junior Liam Creamer walked to work on Thursday; he was rewarded with a 73 to anchor the Cadets’ 314 team score, which translated into a sixth-place showing.
“I live here in the neighborhood, but this is really only like the eighth time I’ve played the course,” the Geneva resident said. “It was one of my best rounds ever.”
Adam Grams’ 77, later matched by sophomore Brody Kuhar, led Kaneland, which finished in the middle of the pack.
There was a tournament within a tournament as all five U-46 Elgin-area high schools were in the field.
Bartlett had by far the best local finish as Ryan Wolfe and Ryan Starks carded matching 75s for the Hawks’ 312 fourth-place effort.
For Bartlett to contend, however, it must receive more consistency from the bottom of its lineup, not to mention collectively reduce its total putts.
“I don’t have any margin for (error),” Bartlett coach Tommy Boyle said. “If we make a mistake in the top four, we’re sunk. I have already been quoted as saying this, but our putting is killing us.”
South Elgin senior Xavier Owens is on a mission after failing to replicate his sophomore appearance at the state tournament last fall.
Owens’ eagle at the par-5 17th paved the way for a 2-under back nine that underscored his medalist-earning, level-par 71 performance.
“I hit driver, lob wedge,” Owens said of his two shots to the dance floor. “The biggest putt of the day (was the ensuing conversion from 25 feet). I had a few mistakes but was able to counteract them with birdies. I finished with a birdie at (No.) 12 (in the shotgun start).”
The Storm finished its day at 320, eight shots behind Bartlett, yet comfortably in the top 10.
Matt Weber was once again the low man for Burlington Central; the Rockets’ leader fired a 74 for solo sixth. Central finished with a 331 as a team.
Streamwood (370), Larkin (402) and Elgin (428) all struggled.
Kyle Martens’ 1-over par 72 was the unquestioned highlight for West Chicago.
“In high school it’s my No. 1 score,” Martens said. “It was an up-and-down round. I started off with a couple of bogeys but came back to make some birdies. (I was) driving in the fairways and I gave myself a chance for birdies.”
West Chicago finished in the middle of the 19-team tournament with its 322 total score.
Palatine was fifth behind a resplendent 75 from Matt Lynch.
“The best part of my game was driving the ball and my irons,” Lynch said.
The junior could have had a much better day had any of his red-number attempts found the desired location.
“I had four or five lip-outs for birdie,” said Lynch, who had 14 pars on the day. “My putting wasn’t the best today.”
Kyle Chisholm fired a 77 for the Pirates; Will Baumgartner (80) and Tom Braders (81) solidified the team performance with a combined 161.
None of Hoffman Estates’ six players were able to break 80; the Hawks were well back of the leaders with a 350.