Boys golf: Dundee-Crown's Anderson, Jacobs' Tighe tie for 2nd at regional
There was little drama as to which team was going to win the Class 3A Huntley boys golf regional on Tuesday at Pinecrest Golf Club.
But there was plenty of drama for the final two individual qualifying spots.
On the second playoff hole, after each shot 83 in regulation, Jacobs' Daniel Leitiner and Hampshire's Myles Miller IV outdueled Huntley's Michael Runsey to nab the final qualifying spots for next Monday's Harlem sectional at Atwood Homestead in Rockford.
As expected, Prairie Ridge won the team title - the Wolves' first regional championship since 2004 - by shooting a 302, a whopping 19 strokes better than Cary-Grove and Crystal Lake South, which will also advance their teams to the sectional tournament on Monday. Cary-Grove took second place on a fifth-score tiebreaker.
Prairie Ridge's Ethan Farnham won the individual championship with an even-par 72. He was followed by four golfers who tied for second place with 75s, including Dundee-Crown's JP Anderson, Jacobs' Garrett Tighe, Prairie Ridge's Cameron Karney and CL South's Nate Zacher.
Anderson had to come back from a rough front nine to fashion his second-place finish.
"My first nine I hit it pretty bad," said the Chargers' junior, who will make his second-straight sectional appearance. "My ball striking wasn't up to what it has been so on the back nine I was forced to get up and down. I turned at 2-over but then on the back nine my ball striking was a lot better. I failed to make a couple birdie putts that would have gotten me under par but I'll take it. It's good to be going to sectionals two years in a row and I'll just be looking to make a good number and hopefully extend my season."
Jacobs' Tighe had another solid round, just as the sophomore did at last week's Fox Valley Conference tournament, where he also finished second.
"I only missed three fairways and four greens," said Tighe, who will be playing in his second sectional after missing the cut for state by 1 shot last year. "I had three birdies and a bad double bogey on 15 but then I came back and birdied 16."
The three-way playoff for the final two individual spots came with some pressure, especially for Hampshire's Miller, who had to make a 5-foot putt on the first playoff hole and then a 3-foot tap-in as the last player on the final hole.
"The putt on 17 was the hardest putt of my life," said the Whip-Purs' senior who will now be playing in his third straight sectional but first in Class 3A. "It's so different with hundreds of people watching you."
That same pressure was felt by Jacobs' Leitner, a junior who will be playing in his first sectional.
"You feel the pressure but you just have to breathe and take everything that comes to you," he said. "It's just a game and it's fun. I'm glad I could pull it out and move on."
The other individual qualifying spots went to Crystal Lake Central's Maverick Edwards (79) and Zach Tuszynski (80), Jacobs' Ryan Wreszcz (81), Hampshire's Mark Spitzer (81) and Clayton Staszewski (81) and Dundee-Crown's Josh Zahara (82).
"It's our first experience at Class 3A so this is very exciting for us," said Hampshire coach Jeff Howe, whose team won a Class 2A regional in 2014.
In advancing to its third-straight sectional, Cary-Grove was able to nose out CL South for second place on the strength of Jacob Glaysher's 87 on the fifth score tiebreaker. The Trojans were led by Zach Beaugureau (77), Patrick Tobin (78), Trevor Brandon (80) and Ben Stogis (86).
"The boys have been making a great push this year and they're peaking at the right time," said C-G coach Chris Gotsch. "I'm very happy for Zach. He had a little hiccup at the FVC tournament so it was nice to see him bounce back. We're also happy with the play of Patrick Tobin, a sophomore."
Crystal Lake South edged out Jacobs (323) for the final qualifying spot, using Zacher's 75 and a 79 from Casey Hunter to lead the way. Also scoring for the Gators were John Lishchynsky (83) and Griffen Coakley (84).