Winters on target for Green Wave
It was a big day on the golf course Tuesday for St. Edward's Brad Winters, who shot 1-under par 70 at Glendale Lakes to lead the Green Wave to a 334 team finish at the Class 2A Driscoll regional which was good enough for a top-three finish and a berth in next Monday's Wheaton Academy sectional at Pheasant Run.
"Brad has played some real solid golf over the past few weeks," said St. Edward coach Greg Winters, Brad's dad. "He played very conservative, birdied a couple par five's and took chances at the right times."
His 70 was undoubtedly a catalyst for the rest of the team, which saw Brett Manning finish in a 3-way tie for fifth with a 79, while Eric Winters shot an 85 and Steve Jones shot a 100 enabling St. Edward to advance as a team.
"Anytime you shoot under par, you've got to be happy with it," said coach Winters. "Coming in after nine and seeing how Brad was golfing definitely got the team pumped.
"I am absolutely proud of the guys. This has been our goal all year, and they've worked very hard to earn it," coach Winters added.
Wheaton Academy won the regional with a 300 led by David Flynn, who shot the regional-best, a 69. Lakes (331) took second.
Hampshire at Genoa-Kingston regional: Behind a solid round from Jeff Cohn, who shot an 85, Hampshire finished seventh overall at the Class 1A Genoa-Kingston regional held at the par 72 Timber Pointe Golf Course.
Cohn's score was good enough for a 3-way third-place tie as well as advancing him to sectional action at Rockford Christian Life (Elliot Golf Course) on Saturday as an individual.
Cohn will be joined by teammate Grant Yoder who shot an 87 for the final qualifying slot, tied with three other golfers.
Byron won the sectional with a 312 and will be joined by advancing teams Rockford Christian and Sterling Newman which finished with matching 349s.
At Buffalo Grove: Garrett Eddy will represent Streamwood High School at the sectional level after qualifying at the Class 3A Buffalo Grove regional held at the par 72 Buffalo Grove Golf Course.
Eddy shot an 80 while the Sabres finished with a 377 as a team. He will play at the Hersey sectional at Old Orchard on Tuesday.
At Somonauk: Having shot a 79, just 4 strokes behind regional leader Taylor Loux (75), Elgin Academy's Turner Wadington will represent the Hilltoppers at sectionals having qualified out of the Class 1A regional at Edgebrook. Wadington will play in the Rockford sectional at Elliot on Saturday.
Wadington's 79 was not only good enough to qualify him to the next level, but also good enough for a second place tie amongst advancing individuals at the regional.
Elgin Academy finished ninth as a team at 373, while Westminster Christian finished 11th overall having shot 405 as a team.
Burlington Central at Marengo: Burlington Central narrowly missed a team trip to Class 2A sectionals despite qualifying two golfers in Sam Schmalz and Peter Cappas.
Schmalz led at-large qualifiers with a 78, and Cappas shot an 83 to advance. Schmalz conquered the par 72 Marengo Ridge Golf Course shooting 39s on both the front and back nine. They will play in the Wheaton Academy sectional at Pheasant Run on Monday.
As a team, Burlington Central (350) finished fifth.