Area players gear up for state meets

Bartlett senior boys golfer Trace Pomplun has an ace up his sleeve.

And he intends to use it at Friday's Class 3A boys state golf finals at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington.

Pomplun is making his second straight appearance in the state finals. He was part of the Bartlett team that qualified in 2007.

"I think last year definitely helped me," said Pomplun, who would like to play golf at the college level next season. "I learned what it takes to shoot low on a good course. I'm mainly going to try and stay in the present and not get too far ahead of myself. It's a 2-day tournament. You have to keep calm."

Pomplun is one of 7 local boys golfers competing in one of the three state finals in the Bloomington-Normal area.

The only other local Class 3A competitors at The Den at Fox Creek are Larkin junior Ryan Smith and Cary-Grove junior Matt Efflandt (75 at sectionals to qualify).

"I've gotten smarter as the season has gone on," said Smith. "I'm not making big mistakes anymore that cost me big numbers. Lately I've been playing very well. I'm keeping the ball in the fairway."

In Class 2A action at Illinois State University's Weibring Golf Club in Normal, Burlington Central seniors Peter Cappas and Sam Schmalz will be part of the field.

"My biggest thing has probably been my consistency," noted Cappas, who along with Schmalz are the first Central boys golfers to compete at state since 1994. "If one thing falters, something else is there to rise up and help me. There have been days when I've been on all cylinders, but there hasn't been a day where I've completely struggled."

Schmalz's iron play has aided him this season.

"The whole year I've felt really good with my mid-irons," said Schmalz, whose low high school round this year has been a 71. "I've hit a lot of greens - more than last year. I feel like I'm making more putts this year."

Hampshire's Grant Yoder also qualified for the Class 2A finals out of the Marian Central sectional. He made it a point after last season to buckle down on this short game.

"I made it a personal goal," said Yoder. "The short game was really bad last year. It's improved a ton since then. It's saved my game when I wasn't playing very well. You can knock off 3-4 strokes a round just by putting and being around the green."

The Class 1A field at Prairie Vista in Bloomington will include St. Edward freshman Mike Holevas.

"They key is keeping it in play and avoiding the big numbers," said Holevas. "You go for par and if something else happens that is better, great. Par is always a good thing."

In girls competition, Hampshire sophomore Taylor Ellett is in the state finals for a second straight year, this time as part of the Class AA field at Stone Creek in Makanda.

"I'm going to go out and play and have a good time," said Ellett. "I've got 2 more rounds left in my sophomore year. I'm going to go out and enjoy it and do the best I can and whatever score I shoot is what I shoot."

St. Edward junior Danielle Coffman will compete in the Class A finals at Hickory Ridge Public Golf Center in Carbondale.