Naperville North bounces back to hand Naperville Central first loss
Home-course advantage does is not applicable for the two DuPage Valley Conference Naperville boys golf programs, considering both teams spend so much time on the other's course.
"There's no home-course advantage for either of the Naperville schools," Naperville Central coach Barry Baldwin said. "That is a rarity in conference (dual matches)."
In a battle of undefeated league powers Tuesday at the Redhawks' home course, Naperbrook Golf Course in Plainfield, Nick Buege and Raymond powered Naperville North to a convincing 142-156 victory with matching 2-under-par 34s. Jon Mengel and Eric Izzo, playing as the seventh and eighth men for the Huskies, also had identical rounds of 37 to flavor the Huskies' 2-under collective score.
Naperville North, the defending conference champion, improved to 4-0 with the double-digit victory; Naperville Central fell to 3-1.
Buege and Knoll both dropped strokes at the par-3 eighth; the former eagled the preceding hole to augment a first-hole birdie, while Knoll had birdie putts on Nos. 1, 3 and 5. Naperville North rebounded strongly after a disastrous finish last Saturday at the Batavia Invitational.
"I felt like it wasn't my team," Naperville North coach Ryan Hantak said of the Huskies' finish in the middle of the 27-team field. "I'm sure some of the other teams there thought we were overrated. We have a good team. We go nine deep."
Sophomore Pete Mandich paced Naperville Central with a 38.
Looking ahead: The IHSA released its postseason boys and girls golf pairings, and the residue of past wars of attrition in the two state preliminaries surfaced once again.
Hantak and Baldwin, for instance, have never shied away from voicing criticism. The issue is particularly contentious regarding the concentration of the large schools in Aurora and Naperville at the same regional.
"(The IHSA) separates the Downers (Groves) and the Hinsdales but not us," Baldwin said.
"I think all the (Aurora and Naperville) coaches are frustrated," Hantak said. "Some of the top individuals and teams are not even going to advance to the next level (the sectional). I don't think that (the) state golf (tournament) is necessarily the best golf."
"There are going to be inequities," said Waubonsie Valley coach Dave Owles, whose Warriors are not only reigning state qualifiers but also lead the Upstate Eight Valley after a critical win over sister school Neuqua Valley last week. "The way I look at it is you have to beat the best teams to win state. You just have to beat some of those teams earlier than you wanted to."
"I think the IHSA always claims geography, and as long as Aurora and Naperville are next to each other it will always be like that," West Aurora coach Jay Bauer said.
"We always have a tough row to hoe. I think all the (coaches') criticisms falls on deaf ears."
Naperville Central will host both the Class 3A regional - at the Links of Carillon in Plainfield - and the sectional at Naperbrook. Baldwin had previously sent a proposal for the golf sectionals to be seeded.
"A no vote was taken," Baldwin said. "I don't think the state cares about the best players advancing."
Other than a lack of predictability, there is one formula for success as October nears.
"It's going to come down to a school that gets hot at the right time," Neuqua Valley coach Spike Grossheusch said. "Look at Waubonsie Valley, they came out of nowhere last year."
Double trouble: The Kochevar siblings at Glenbard West are not typical twins. Kyle and Brooke Kochevar are the offspring of Oak Brook-based golf instructor Dan Kochevar, and the pride of the Hilltoppers' golf programs are seeking their third consecutive trip to the boys Class 3A tournament in Bloomington and the girls Class AA state finals in Decatur. The juniors are both left-handed.
"Everyone asks how (our father) teaches us when he's a righty," said Brooke, who has an equally conscientious teacher in her twin brother.
"He'll definitely help me," Brooke said. "It definitely helps to have a brother who also plays."
Brooke Kochevar, the reigning St. Ignatius sectional champion, has anchored the Hilltoppers' girls program since its inception two years ago. Kyle Kochevar has played the leading role in the Hilltoppers' boys undefeated run in the ultra-competitive West Suburban Silver. Glenbard West upended Hinsdale Central last week but faces a daunting challenge against Lyons Twp. today to retain its conference edge.
"I've had a pretty good (dual) match season," Kyle said. "I have had a little bit of a stumble (lately), but I'm hanging in there. I want to win (the state tournament). If I stick to my game, I can pull it off."