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In its last match of 2020, Glenbrook North wins team and individual sectional titles

Neither wind nor rain nor slope of green could stay Glenbrook North High School from winning the Class 3A Conant boys golf sectional on Monday, and with it sophomore Jason Gordon's individual championship.

"It was a pretty bad day," Spartans coach Justin Gerbich said Tuesday. "Normally you get some lightning to pull you in and you don't have to play in those conditions. But we didn't, so the kids did great."

Adjusting to a Bridges of Poplar Creek course in Hoffman Estates that despite conditions played fast after preparations for a pro-am scramble on Sunday, Gerbich said, Glenbrook North clinched its first sectional title since 2013 when senior Kevin O'Regan guided a 65-foot putt within 3 feet of the cup at No. 18, then sank the second putt for par.

"It's one of the best two-putts I've ever seen in high school," Gerbich said of the Notre Dame-bound O'Regan, who last season won the New Trier regional and finished eighth in Class 3A. His younger brother, sophomore Robby O'Regan, tied three other golfers for fourth place. Sam Collett paced Glenbrook South with a 79 and 13th-place tie.

Rallying past New Trier, which itself had surged from a deficit to claim a 2-stroke lead after 15 holes, Glenbrook North tipped the Trevians 308-309. Lyons Township and Maine South tied for third at 316 with Loyola Academy and York in fifth at 322 and Glenbrook South seventh at 327.

"We don't beat New Trier often, so it was nice," Gerbich said.

The Spartans swept Central Suburban League South, Conant regional and Conant sectional titles to conclude their season. Coming off their 2019 Class 3A runner-up position, they'd have liked to have continued their roll, but a prep sports calendar altered by COVID-19 denied that chance.

"It was nice at least to have sectionals, because at first we were just going to have regionals. It kind of validated our good play," Gerbich said.

"We're really playing well right now and it'd be nice to keep going, but it is what it is, there's not much you can do about it."

Gordon's individual title, the first golf sectional title by a Spartan since current professional Nick Hardy's in 2013, was as hotly contested as the team competition.

After 18 holes the sophomore was tied with Maine South's Myles Lahart and Loyola's Patrick Adler at 4-over-par 74, requiring a playoff. Gordon and Lahart participated in that, and after a wait of about a half-hour they teed off at the 424-yard No. 1.

"I've been in this position before, and you just gain experience from these scenarios," Gordon said Tuesday.

After taking a bogey on the par-4 first hole hours before, in sudden death Gordon scored a 4 and Lahart a 5 to give Gordon the title.

"It means a lot," Gordon said. "The weather was bad, I had to fight through a lot. My grips were slippery, it was pretty miserable outside, so it means a lot to get it done in such harsh conditions."

Both Gordon and Gerbich liked the golfer's grit in key points that put him in position for the title.

Gordon birdied three straight holes, at Nos. 8, 9 and 10, using his 54-degree Titleist wedge to chip in a downhill lie at No. 9.

"That's getting it done in that weather on that course," Gerbich said.

Coming off two straight bogeys, at the 450-yard No. 18 Gordon left his approach about 30 yards short but pitched the ball within 7 feet of the pin and made the putt.

"I'm satisfied, but I'm a little disappointed we're not going to have a chance at state," Gordon said. "I know there are a couple seniors on the team, like Kevin and Sam (Kogen) and a couple others who I bet wish we had a state tournament."

Graduating only Kevin O'Regan, Kogen and Jonathan Chu, the Spartans may have a crack at another - in 2021.

"We're going to have a lot of good players coming back next year," Gerbich said. "We should probably be like New Trier and Lake Forest are, they just always reload. We're going to have the opportunity to be able to reload next year."

  Glenbrook South's Sam Collett, shown here at the Oct. 6 golf regionals, played a 79 and tied for 13th in the Class 3A Conant boys golf sectional Monday in Hoffman Estates. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
  Glenbrook North senior Kevin O'Regan, shown here at the Oct. 6 golf regionals, guided a 65-foot putt within 3 feet of the cup at No. 18, then sank the second putt for par, helping the Spartans clinch their first sectional title since 2013 on Monday in Hoffman Estates. "It's one of the best two-putts I've ever seen in high school," Spartans coach Justin Gerbich said. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com
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