Boys golf: Geneva, Place win DuKane titles

Geneva's boys golf team put its name in the record books Tuesday as the first champion of the DuKane Conference.

The Vikings edged Lake Park 318-319 at Bartlett Hills to win the DuKane tournament by a shot after Geneva also won the regular season dual matches.

Jack McDonald led Geneva with a 76, Tyler Isenhart fired a 77, Quin McNeive shot an 80 and Joe Novak 85.

McDonald tied Lake Park's Zach Place for individual honors but lost on the first playoff hole.

Helping his team take the title made up for the playoff disappointment.

"That's the most important thing," McDonald said. "I can't be too upset because we got it done."

In the playoff, McDonald and Place played No. 10, a 497-yard par 5.

Both players blasted drives well over 300 yards with Place about 25 yards past McDonald hitting a 50-degree wedge to the green.

"That one I felt a little extra juiced up," said Place, who recently committed to Northern Illinois. "I knew I had to keep it right of the tree. I knew either way I'd have wedge in my hand and have a very good chance at eagle."

Both players found the left rough just off the green on their second shots, and Place got his chip slightly closer. McDonald putted first and missed about an 8-footer before Place sank his putt to make birdie and win the playoff.

"I always try to keep my shorter putts more aggressive to take all the break out," Place said. "Hammer it in the back and get the win."

"I just left it (my putt) out there a little right," McDonald said. "I thought it was going to break back. Today wasn't my best putting day. The past couple weeks I've really been working on my putting. I'm hoping to put it together for the postseason."

McDonald also competed in playoffs in regionals as a freshman and last year as a junior.

"It's just exciting, it's a lot of fun," McDonald said. "Especially with everyone following you. You just have to take a deep breath. "

Place shot a 39 on the front and 37 on the back. Teammate Jordan Fischer also broke 80 with a 79, and Tim Rainey and Will Edgecombe both fired 82s.

"First ever (DuKane champion), people will hopefully look up to it for awhile," Place said. "I usually don't play well here. I'm trying to get better every day."

Wheaton Warrenville South shot a 321 to finish third paced by Ben Klimenko with a 78. He started with a 42 on the back hurt by a lost ball and double bogey on 16.

But he rebounded with a 36 on the front.

"I hit a little rough patch but then started playing good," Klimenko said. "Usually for me to turn it around I make a par and then make another one and go on a par string."

Tyler Kuta had a 79 and Cam Polezoes an 80 for the Tigers.

"We have been around the same number all year," Klimenko said. "I feel we are improving a lot and I can't wait for regionals next week."

Wheaton North was fourth at 326. Drew Gorzak shot 79 and Sam Gerry and Briggs Cecil both had 82s.

Tanay Abichandani led St. Charles North with a 77, good for third place in a scorecard tiebreaker. He hit all nine greens in regulation on the back, shooting a 37.

"The 10-footers were dropping today," Abichandani said. "I didn't think I'd come close to those guys today, they are Division I golfers. I'm really happy with where I finished. I just played my golf."

The North Stars finished at 328 in fifth. Evan Suyak added an 82.

St. Charles East shot 335, Batavia 343 and Glenbard North 406. Jake Daeschler led the Saints with an 82, Jake Kleist and Ryan Ingold both carded 83s for Batavia, and Cooper Denault had a 93 for the Panthers.