Historic title for Conant
Repeating history would have been just fine with the Conant boys golf program.
Making history was much better in Tuesday’s Class 3A Addison Trail regional at Maple Meadows Golf Course in Wood Dale.
Conant shot a 317 to win its first regional title and qualify for a sectional in consecutive years for the first time. Lake Park (324) was second and Addison Trail (325) was third.
A year ago, Conant finished third to make its first sectional trip in 20 years.
“It’s pretty exciting,” said Conant senior Josh Yoo, who shot a 6-over-par 76 to finish third. “It was actually the first time the guys shot well the whole season at the same time.
“It’s a great feeling and our coach (Jerry Song) was pretty excited. Our team just wanted to make it to sectionals and we had a really good day.”
Yoo finished a shot behind Lake Park’s Troy Butler and Elk Grove junior Ryan White. Butler took medalist honors by winning a playoff on the first extra hole.
Conant also counted a 77 from senior Nishil Patel and 82s from junior Zach Piepho and senior Ben Suchomski. Juniors Ryan Curran and Ryan Bailey also competed.
Song and Yoo liked what they saw before the round started.
“Usually we’re talking and joking around but everyone was pretty serious,” Yoo said of the mood on the practice range.
“We probably had the best ball-striking on the range,” said Song, who also led the baseball program to its first two regional titles in 2007 and 2009. “That’s when I said, ‘I’ve got a good feeling.’ They hit the ball great off the range and I was pretty excited.”
Yoo had to fight through some early nerves as he shot a 39 on the front nine.
“I talked to coach and he said the team was playing really well and might have a chance to win,” Yoo said. “I started to get excited and I knew I had to shoot well on the back nine.”
Conant will play in the rugged Bartlett sectional at Bartlett Hills on Monday. Yoo, who shot a 70 in a season-opening tournament at Maple Meadows, is hoping to make it to the state tournament for the first time.
“The whole year I’ve done pretty well and I’m pretty confident about sectionals,” Yoo said. “I’m pretty sure I can make it to state if I shoot my best round.”
White, Schaumburg’s Lou Zmich (80) and Elk Grove’s Dan Guido (86) were among the individual sectional qualifiers not from the top three qualifying teams.
Notre Dame regional: Maine West junior Tom Kukec (80) and senior Tim Burchard (84) qualified for the sectional from the 3A regional at Mission Hills Country Club. New Trier won the team title.
Oak Park regional: Leyden sophomore Bobby Nardella and junior Kyle Acevedo shot 92 at Willowcrest Golf Club to qualify for the sectional.