Hersey's veteran quartet hits it big

There's been no shortage of stellar golf being played in Arlington Heights the last few high school seasons.

Almost everyone who follows prep sports knows St. Viator, with its core group of young players, won the IHSA Class 3A state golf title in 2007.

But about one mile to the north and east of the Lions' campus, a group of talented golfers has been shooting the lights out and setting records at cross-town rival Hersey for some time.

Johannes Seemann, Jimmy Morrow and John McIlree, along with fellow senior Chris James, unite to form one of the strongest teams the Huskies have ever brought to the links.

"Joannes, Jimmy and John have been the big three for Hersey golf for the last four years," said long-time Hersey coach Dan Caporusso. "John won conference last year, Jimmy won the Biltmore and Johannes has been downstate. They've all had some serious highlights.

"They've been surrounded by the excellence of the Viator kids, and maybe a little overshadowed by them. But as far as Arlington Heights residents go, they've been the best players for awhile."

For Seemann, Morrow and McIlree, friends on and off the course, the golf highlight reel has continued in 2008 as they've enjoyed possibly their strongest season thus far.

Although they fell just short of their goal of a conference title at last Monday's Mid-Suburban League championship tournament at the Arboretum in Buffalo Grove, the Huskies excelled in the MSL, forging a 10-1 match record to tie with Barrington and eventual MSL champion Fremd going into the tourney.

And in addition to handing a solid Barrington team its first ever head-to-head loss at Makray Memorial, the Broncos' home course, Hersey won this year's Buffalo Grove Invitational, finished second at Rolling Green and sixth among 25 teams in a state-tourney caliber field at the Wheeling Invite.

"We know what it takes to win," said Morrow, who shot 36 at Makray in the win over Barrington, of the experienced senior-laden Huskies. "All of our returning players are mature, and we know what to expect."

Hersey heads into this year's playoffs and a hope for a team trip to the state tournament with a quiet confidence as expressed by Seemann, who went to the tourney in Bloomington two years ago as an individual and battled the brutal elements that year as temperatures dropped and the wind howled.

"It snowed that Thursday (in Bloomingon)," said Seemann, who finished the 2006 state tourney in 37th out of 137 golfers at the "Den" at Fox Creek Golf Club.

"I remember waking up the morning of our first round and saying to myself, 'I've got to play in that?' But it was a blast. Going into my sophomore season, I didn't have many expectations. But I had a good summer, and everything fell into place.

"Back then, being a sophomore, I had no idea how the seniors felt. Now I've experienced it, and I can't belive it (my high school golf career) is going to end soon. It's gone by so fast - it feels like just yesterday I was starting school.

"Now we want to finish out this year and go as far as we can. We're feeling confident, but we've got to take it one step at a time."

Seemann has a big fan in Morrow.

"Johannes is one of the hardest-working people I've ever seen," said Morrow. "He's out there practicing every day, no matter what. You've got to give him credit."

And in McIlree, who culminated his stellar 2007 season by becoming MSL tournament medalist at the Arboretum.

"It's been a lot of fun," said McIlree, who recorded a second-place individual finish this year at Hersey's BG win, of the strong bond the Huskies' golfers share.

"Our goal is to get downstate," added Morrow, "and we've got a group of guys who can do that."

Hersey will open its state-tourney quest on Tuesday at the Fremd regional at Hilldale Golf Club, where it will tee off against a competitive field that includes the MSL champ Vikings, the defending state champion Lions, and MSL rivals Schaumburg, Rolling Meadows, Palatine, Hoffman Estates, Conant, and Buffalo Grove.

"This is definitely one of the strongest years for area golf," said Seemann. "Seems like every team has standout players.

"I think we've got a very deep team. We've played solid all year, and we've all picked each other up when we've needed to."