Top North Golfer Back in the Swing of Things

Naperville North sophomore Raymond Knoll is one of the most accomplished golfers in Illinois regardless of grade level.

Knoll has traveled the country to play in large junior tournaments and finished tied for 13th in the Class 3A state meet last fall as a freshman.

Yet there is something about him that may surprise you.

"He is so experienced playing all over the country, but he does still get nervous on the first tee," North coach Ryan Hantak said. "Every time he sees the best kids around, he steps up and raises his game."

Knoll showed that Saturday as the Huskies finished second at the Buffalo Grove Tournament, shooting a solid 301. Knoll placed second among the 72 individuals, channeling his nervousness to shoot a 73.

That round was a long time coming since Knoll missed the majority of his summer tournament action due to a broken wrist suffered while playing pick-up basketball. He couldn't pick up a club other than his putter for six weeks.

"I'm happy that I finally put out a decent number," Knoll said. "I've been looking for that one round to get me going."

Not that there is ever a good time for a broken wrist, but his timing was particularly unfortunate. Just that afternoon, he recorded his eighth-ever hole-in-one, on No. 7 at Springbrook, and was set to leave for a junior tournament in the Quad Cities in the morning.

"I lost a lot of playing time," Knoll said. "It was a rough summer. I'd say I'm 100 percent now."

Knoll is widely regarded as the Huskies' No. 1 player and one of the top players in the DuPage Valley Conference and western suburbs. But he is also on a team that is poised to help North reach the state tournament as a team for the first time since a three-year stretch from 2000-02.

Knoll has already had a dual meet where his score didn't even count toward the team tally, thanks to the presence of Nick Buege, Dan and Dave Considine, defending DVC champ Spencer Tanaka and others.

"Raymond isn't even technically our No. 1, and that's a good thing," Hantak said. "We're nine deep. We're pretty interchangeable. It will be hard to pick six of them for the postseason. It makes the kids sharper."

Knoll relished his chance at the state meet last year. But he is also close friends with the guys on Waubonsie Valley's team, and witnessed the experience the Warriors had as a team downstate last year.

"I'd really like to go down as a team," Knoll said. "I saw how much fun Waubonsie had. That's what I want to see, us and Waubonsie both down there."