Boys golf: Stewart, Crystal Lake South shine at regional
Crystal Lake South's Will Stewart had what every golfer covets on Tuesday - a hot putter.
Stewart felt more comfortable on the greens at Marengo Ridge Golf Club as the round progressed.
"It got a little windier and a little easier to score, just the nerves go down later in the round," Stewart said. "I started fine, just missed a few putts, then on the back nine I made everything I looked at. It was a good putting round for sure. Not my best ball contact, but a really good putting round."
Stewart shot a 1-over-par 73 to win the Class 2A Marengo Boys Golf Regional, which also led the Gators to the team title. South, which shot 314, edged Prairie Ridge by three strokes for the team title. They both advance to the Freeport Sectional on Monday.
Marian Central's Owen Jager shot 82 to grab one of the four individual qualifying spots. He was the only local individual qualifier.
Stewart rolled a 12-foot putt on No. 18 to within a foot of the hole and had to settle for a bogey 6 and 1-over. He beat Prairie Ridge's Eddie Winkelmann by two strokes.
"Just to keep the season going is really fun," Stewart said. "I love golf season. It's my favorite. I love all sports. For the (IHSA) to extend it was big for us, just so we don't have one tournament and done. Sectionals will be a good test for us and for me."
Initially, the IHSA planned for only regional competitions in golf and cross country because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with few instances of athletes in those sports testing positive, the IHSA added a sectional for both sports last month.
Stewart and Winkelmann played in the final threesome, so they had a good idea what each was shooting.
"It's always fun playing with Will, he's good competition," Winkelmann said. "I hit my irons well. There was a lot of laying up today. I got my layups and went from there. This is big for our team. We were seeded third and for us to beat Boylan is good for us. We had one of our best days."
South got a 78 from Ricky Falbo, while Bryce Sturm (81) and Tanner Coakley (82) rounded out the scoring. Nate Stewart, South's No. 2 player, suffered a strained muscle in his left side early in the round and shot 93.
Prairie Ridge freshman Charlie Pettrone shot 76, Levi Wagner had an 82, and Danny Saville had an 84 for the Wolves.
"(Nate Stewart) couldn't even put a swing on the ball," Will Stewart said of his younger brother. "That was a disadvantage. But our No. 5 and No. 6, Tanner and Bryce, were huge. That's massive. I'm super-proud of them."
South advanced to the last two Class 2A State Tournaments. Falbo is thrilled to get another week.
"It means we really played well today," said Falbo of the Gators' back-to-back regional wins. "We're kind of hyped to play at sectional. We plan to do really well and if we don't, we still want to have fun. We're just happy to get to play another tournament."
Jager, a junior, rebounded from a rough start to qualify.
"My drive on the first hole went a solid 3 feet, so I didn't think I'd make it," Jager said. "But then I came back with a par (on No. 2) and finished with 43 on the front nine. On the back I played really well with a 39, my low round of the year.
"It's a big thing for me. I'm happy I made it (to sectional). At the beginning of the year, I didn't think I'd make it here, but I put the work in and I'm happy I got rewarded with it."