Boys golf: Neuqua Valley's Vercautren takes second at state

BLOOMINGTON - Jack Vercautren had a moment every high school golfer dreams about on his final hole Saturday.

"It was one of those putts you have on the putting green wanting to win state," the Neuqua Valley senior said.

Thinking he needed a par-4 on his closing hole to force a playoff with Stevenson junior Jackson Bussel, Vercautren, playing in the final pairing at the Class 3A boys golf championship at the Den at Fox Creek, was a bit too frisky on the 15-footer.

"I missed it on the high side," Vercautren said. "I over-read the break a little bit."

Vercautren, who started the day at level par, duplicated his Friday score on his outward nine before coming home in 2-under on his final nine.

But Bussel became the first Stevenson state champion in program history with his flawless 4-under 32 inward nine for a 68.

The only two players to finish under par, Bussel denied Vercautren by a stroke with his 3-under 141 total.

Vercautren closed out his Neuqua Valley senior season with rounds of 72 and 70.

"On the final hole (coach Bart Carbonneau) just said, 'Make birdie - and don't worry about it,'" Vercautren said of his knowledge of his standing. "I thought I needed a birdie to win."

The state tournament has two distinct components - a team and individual tournament.

Vercautren eased the sting for his Wildcats teammates after missing the team state cut by 3 combined strokes the last two years.

"It would have been even sweeter to have the whole team down here," Vercautren said.

Hinsdale Central is on the cusp of team legendary status in boys golf.

With all-staters Mac McClear firing a Saturday 71 and Josh Lundmark indispensable with a first-round 69, the Red Devils edged Lake Forest by a pair of shots, 603-605, to win their sixth consecutive largest-class state championship.

"I like the pressure," McClear said. "If you keep your composure, it can be kind of fun. I could have shot a 68 or something, but I'll take a 71."

In its first state appearance since the 2003 Class AA tournament, Lake Park (622) was eighth behind Luke Tytus and Zach Place.

"It was the greatest experience of my life," Tytus said.

Naperville Central last played in the Class AA tournament the year before the Lancers.

The Redhawks shaved 25 shots off their first-day score with their two rounds of 334-309 to finish in 11th. Tommy Dunsire narrowly missed all-state status for the Redhawks with his two rounds of 76 and 73.

The Northern Illinois University-bound Dunsire was top 15.

Ryan Cagan matched the 1-over Saturday round of his senior teammate to power the Redhawks' vast improvement.

Metea Valley junior Scott Boyajian fired rounds of 74 and 76 to snare top-20 honors.

The Wildcats' West Aurora regional champion dropped three shots over his last two holes.

"I just made a couple of mistakes," Boyajian said of his last two holes. "It felt great to be up there with all the guys I play with in the summer."

Downers North two-time state qualifier Aidan Lafferty had designs on a potential state championship after a first-round 71.

But the Trojans' junior settled for a fifth-place tie with McClear after a second-day 74.

"I knew I was right in the mix," Lafferty said. "The mindset today was to come out and make as few mistakes as I could."

At the Class 2A tournament at the Weibring Course in Normal, Luke Armbrust was given a lesson by a future collegiate teammate.

Armbrust, the defending state champion, was among the other 110 players steamrolled by Morton senior Tommy Kuhl.

Armbrust could only marvel as his fellow Illinois recruit reduced the Illinois State University layout to its knees with record-setting rounds of 63 and 66 to shatter all Class 2A records.

"He kicked my butt," Armbrust said of Kuhl. "I am going to have to work that much harder (at Illinois)."

Armbrust had a 1-over 72 to finish in a tie for 12th place for St. Francis, which was seventh overall in the field at 631.

"It was kind of mind-boggling," Armbrust said of the Spartans' highest tournament score of the year on Friday. "We made it really hard on ourselves. I just didn't make any putts for 36 holes. (What Kuhl did) was definitely a humbling experience after winning last year. I played with him (on Saturday)."

Ryan Keefe and Nick Armbrust had season-ending rounds of 76 and 78 for the Spartans.