Luedtke leads historic charge

Kurtis Luedtke put the entire West Aurora boys golf team on his back, and the Blackhawks put on a clinic at their home course.

Riding the near-flawless 2-under-par-70 medalist performance by Luedtke, West Aurora cruised to victory at the DuPage Valley Conference tournament Thursday afternoon with a 307 score.

With its 11-stroke margin over runner-up Wheaton North at Orchard Valley in Aurora, the golf team became the first male program at the school other than the basketball team to win a conference championship since joining the DVC in 1997.

It was the first league championship in golf for West Aurora since 1979.

"West Aurora is known for basketball, not golf," said coach Jay Bauer. "First (place) is kind of inconceivable. This has been an unbelievable season."

West Aurora came into the tournament in a second-place tie with Naperville North as league frontrunners Naperville Central and Wheaton Warrenville South were deadlocked.

But after a blistering front-nine 33 that included birdies at the first, second and eighth holes, Luedtke and his three contributing teammates --Brandon Vicory, Mark Torres and Kyle McCradic -- took command of the tournament on the inward nine.

Luedtke opened the back side par-birdie-par to get to 4-under on his day, and the southpaw maintained his momentum at the 13th, the No. 1 handicap hole on the home nine.

His drive on the par-4 found a divot, and Luedtke was 80 yards short of the green in two.

Luedtke proceeded to back up his third shot to within a few inches of the cup, and only a water-bound tee shot on the 17th kept him from breaking the school record he co-owns -- 69 -- with Orchard Valley head professional Tom Tierney.

"That was my momentum right there," said Luedtke, who was almost literally playing in his backyard coming down the 18th fairway. "This is my home course, and I know where to leave the ball on every hole. I played aggressive."

Torres, playing as the eighth man for the Blackhawks, provided West Aurora its first of three top-10 individuals scores when the junior came in with matching 39s for a ninth-place 78.

Senior Kyle McCradic overcame what he described as, "having problems with the water," to post an 81 for West Aurora, which ultimately became its fourth and final score.

But when Luedtke made a seven-footer for par at the last to cap his individual conference championship, West Aurora was firmly in control.

"The 70 can make up for a lot of sins," said Bauer.

Vicory, the Blackhawks' senior leader, was playing in the final group, and his inward-nine 38, augmenting a 2-birdie, outward side of 40, not only meant repeat all-conference status but also the league plaque for West Aurora.

The Blackhawks' only other league titles in a boys sport since leaving the Upstate Eight were the seven straight crowns in basketball.

League aspirants Naperville North and WW South were both derailed on the closing nine.

The Huskies had four outward scores under 40, but Matt Lohmeyer and Chris Collander were the only players to break 80 in the end.

WW South held the lead at the turn behind Shawn Plepel and Steve Skurla, but the Tigers were 21 strokes higher coming in.

"It's about how you finish the 18th hole, not the ninth hole," said WW South coach Jimmy Selleck.

"We're disappointed," said Naperville North coach Ryan Hantak. "We were in good position to win it (after nine)."