Boys golf: Maguire leads Benet to 2nd at sectionals

Benet's eighth-year coach Marty Gaughan said last year's sectional at the Sanctuary Golf Course in New Lenox was just "a bad day" for the Redwings, who failed to advance as a team to the state finals.

A year later at the Old Orchard Golf Club in Mt. Prospect, the Redwings had a very good day, especially Aidan Maguire.

The senior, who did not compete in the sectional last fall, saved his best for last, registering a career-best 2-under 70 on Monday to finish tied for first with St. Ignatius College Prep's Ian Love, who earned medalist honors by winning the playoff at the Class 2A St. Viator sectional.

Maquire helped boost Benet to second place with a score of 294 behind champion St. Ignatius (289). Lemont (299) was third. Those three schools advance to Friday's state final at the Weibring Golf Course in Normal.

Wheaton Academy just missed at 300 while St. Viator was a close fifth with 305.

"This field (12 teams) was better than it's going to be at the state tournament," said hall of fame St. Viator coach Jack Halpin. "Wheaton Academy is a great, great team. They finished fourth and we finished fifth. It took 299 to get out. That's fabulous. I've never seen that before."

Coming off rounds of 78 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference meet and regional, Maguire had never shot a round better than Monday. Also counting scores for the Redwings were senior Ryan Dannegger (71), senior Joseph Plummer (76) and sophomore Charles Davenport (77).

"This feels amazing," said Maguire, who had 3 birdies and 3 bogeys. "I played well and so did a bunch of my teammates. It was a good day to have my best score. This course is pretty narrow so my drives were very accurate which led to great approach shots and made the course a lot easier."

Maquire's previous best was a 2-over 74 at White Eagle in Naperville.

"I tell you it says so much about Aidan," Gaughan said. "He really came out of the gates struggling this season but the past three weeks now he has been playing so well. And obviously his contribution was huge today."

Dannegger also contributed in a big way, carding a 321 on the back nine to complete his 71, good for a third-place tie.

"He had a couple of tough holes in the front so for him to rebound like that shows a lot about how men he is mentally tough he is," Gaughan said.

Last year, the Redwings won the conference and regional.

"We just had a bad day last year in a tough sectional," Gaughan added. "So it was nice for the guys to be able to bounce back, especially the ones who were returning, to go down state this year. I think it just shows how hard they worked from last year to now."

Wheaton Academy senior Sam Dykema (tied for third with a 71) led the team advancing players from a team that didn't qualify for the state finals. Also in that group were St. Viator's Ryan Kalaway (73), Mt. Carmel's Michael O'Keefe (74), St. Francis' Beckett Jones (75), St. Viator's David Koziol (75), Wheaton Academy's Freddie Chan (76), St. Viator's Grayson Dossett (76), Wheaton Academy's Wyatt Brown (76), Wheaton Academy's Joseph Luchtenburg (77) and Hinsdale South's Thomas Gneiser (77).

Dykema was seeking a fourth straight sectional crown and missed a playoff for first by only 1 stroke. He will play at Indiana Wesleyan where his brother is currently a senior and his father also attended.

"I was really hoping to get four in a row and missed by just 1 stroke which is fine," said Dykema, who closed out his round with a birdie on No. 18. "The team played great. We just missed by 1 stroke. I'm just proud of how everyone played. I'm happy some of my teammates and I got down to state."

Last year, the Warriors took third place in the state.

"It's a little different this year but I'm just looking forward to seeing how we can do down there as individuals," Dykema added. "Going down there by yourself wouldn't have been fun. I have three teammates with me so it will be fun."

And two coaches.

"We've got to be so thankful for coaches (Bob) Broman (three-time Metro Suburban Coach of the Year) and (Stan) Austin," Dykema added. "They were there for us every hole and just their support and commitment to the team was really needed. We're really grateful for them."

Halpin was grateful to Old Orchard.

"Give a lot of credit to Old Orchard," he said. "This golf course was in the best shape I've ever seen in it. Marc Heidkamp (Director of Golf) and his staff did a wonderful job. It was a great sectional."