Neuqua Boys Golf Sends 3 Individuals To Sectional

PLAINFIELD – Only three teams advance out of every boys golf regional, which inevitably leaves deserving teams on the outside looking in.

That's what happened at the Class 3A Naperville Central Regional at the Links of Carillon. The field was so loaded with talent that it took at least a 305 just to advance to sectionals as a team, a score usually associated with advancing from a sectional to the state tournament.

So, while Naperville North, Waubonsie Valley and Naperville Central celebrated fighting for another week as a team, Downers Grove South (307), Neuqua Valley (309) and Benet (311) were forced to be happy with the individuals they sent on as the team portion of their seasons came to a close.

"It would have been nice to get the whole team out, but we knew that North and Waubonsie were the class of the regional and that it was a fight among five other teams that had a shot," Neuqua coach Spike Grossheuch said. "In the end, that's what it ended up being. For a while there, I thought we might make it. It was exciting."

The Wildcats didn't come up empty handed, however. The top 10 golfers not on qualifying teams also advance, and Neuqua had three golfers move on. John Walsh (75) and Alec Sanderson (77) were both safely in, but Kyler Kearns was locked in a three-way tie for the final two spots with a 78 and had to go to a playoff.

On the second playoff hole, a par-5, Kearns managed to edge West Aurora's Nick Pavlik and move on with his teammates to Monday's Class 3A Naperville Central Sectional at Naperbrook, the Wildcats' home course.

"I hit two of the best iron shots I've hit in a long time," Kearns said of his final hole. "I've been hitting my driver terrible all day, so I took a 4-iron off the tee and killed it down the middle. I laid up with a perfect 6-iron. Then, I put a wedge to within 5 feet. You can't draw it up better than that."

Benet had essentially a new team this year after graduating a senior-heavy team last year, but the Redwings did advance a pair of golfers to sectionals, both for the first time. Senior Christian Luse (75) and junior Conor Ryan (76) each move on.

"We were hoping to get everybody, of course," Benet coach Dan Nagis said. "We had some great front-nine scores (Benet was at 147 at the turn). We just weren't able to maintain that. It's great to see one of my seniors get out. Conor (Ryan) has played well all year. He's shot consistently well, so it's neat to see a kid like that get rewarded at the end of the year."

Downers Grove South was seeded fifth, so the Mustangs posted their 307, while the top four seeds were still on the course. The score did not stand, however. Fortunately for South, Mike Bubenicek and Connor Harmon each shot 74s to move on as individuals to the sectional tournament.