Boys golf: Armbrust, St. Francis claim titles at ACC tournament

The senior year encore for St. Francis' Luke Armbrust continued unabated at Phillips Park Saturday in Aurora.

The defending Class 2A state champion, Armbrust, an Illinois recruit, ransacked the par-71 layout with 7 birdies in recording a medalist 66 at the Aurora Central Catholic Invitational.

St. Francis also rolled to the 18-program boys golf tournament championship with a 298 total.

Marmion had a pair of players, in Peter Thayer and Jimmy Morton, in the top four to finish runner-up at 309.

Wheaton Academy also had two golfers finish in the top 10 to finish a distant third at 332.

Ryan Vanderway, fresh off his Aurora City Championship effort on Wednesday at the same location, was at level-par 71 to lead fourth-place West Aurora (337) with his solo third.

Armbrust was a shot shy of his career-low tournament round.

"I shot 6-under at (the Catholic League) Conference last year at Cog Hill," Armbrust said.

It was a matter of returning to a friendly location for Armbrust.

"I have always liked this course," Armbrust said. "This was the site of my first tournament victory when I was around 12 years old. I took advantage of a lot of the short par-4s today."

Armbrust also made mincemeat of the par-5s, ending his day with his final birdie on the closing hole at the venerable Aurora layout.

"I birdied three of the four par-5s (including No. 18)," Armbrust said.

The Spartans' Ryan Keefe was fifth overall with a 74; Nick Armbrust and Mike Cascella completed St. Francis' second tournament title this fall with matching 79s.

"I think what (the tournament title) makes it better is we're playing together as a team and not as individuals," Keefe said of the impending state series. "I am starting to play a lot better."

Wheaton Academy has a past pedigree as a former team state champion in Class 2A.

Jack Dykema and Peter Crowe were fifth and ninth, respectively, for the Warriors with their rounds of 73 and 76.

The Warriors' junior highlighted an inescapable element to the sport: saving shots around the green.

"I was putting really well, especially when I had to scramble," Dykema said. "Off the tee was pretty good, too. The 73 is my best (score) ever."

Damian Guerrero also has designs on the state series after making the cut in Class 1A for Lisle last fall.

A junior, Guerrero had the lone 4-over 75 in the field to finish seventh overall.

"I was in the same (mental) standpoint that I'm always in: fairways and greens," Guerrero said.

The Lions' leader was not quite able to register any red-number holes.

"I had 2 or 3 birdie putts that I lipped out," Guerrero said. "I threw it out and moved on."

Lisle finished sixth at 352.

Glenbard South, anchored by Jacob Cyrus' 81, was seventh at 356.

Jack Mullins' 85 was the low number for Montini (360).

Thayer and Morton went toe-to-toe with league rival St. Francis and Luke Armbrust last season in placing state runner-up in Class 2A.

But the Cadets will have to make a state run in Class 3A this fall.

But Thayer and Morton have been mainstays this season as the Cadets search for the all-important third and fourth scores in their tournaments.

Thayer was runner-up with his 1-under 70; Morton was fourth with his 2-over total.

It was a personal-best for Thayer, a junior.

"Not in a high school tournament before," Thayer said of his prep low score. "I really wasn't too pleased off the tee, nothing too special. I had a lot of good birdie putts that I didn't convert. I had 5 birdies, but it could have been close to 10 - as crazy as that sounds."

Morton was a shot better than his 74 in helping Marmion to a runner-up tie with Waubonsie Valley last Wednesday.

"I played better than I did at the City Meet," Morton said in claiming fourth. "I like to go under par here, because I am comfortable with the course. It's kind of frustrating being 2- or 3-over par (at Phillips Park)."

Conversely, Vanderway had to birdie No. 18 to fire his second straight round of par or better at Phillips Park.

The Blackhawks' two-time Upstate Eight Valley MVP and returning state qualifier was third with his 71.

"I am not super thrilled (with my score), but I'm happy with it," Vanderway said. "I am still trying to break 70. I am getting more and more comfortable with the courses I am playing better and better, like Orchard (Valley, the Blackhawks' home course) and Phillips."

Luke Reimers had the skin of the day.

The West Aurora sophomore aced No. 10, from 171 yards away.

"I hit a 5-iron," Reimers said. "It was unbelievable. (The ball) just kind of disappeared."

Aurora Christian junior Ricky Hochsprung was eighth with a 76; Aurora Central sophomore Nate Turco was 10th with the sole 78.

"It's been a pretty big transition," Hochspring said of leading the Eagles, second in Class 1A last year, after heavy graduation losses. "It was pretty well-rounded (overall), but it could have been better."