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newlenoxpatriot.com SPORTS
the New Lenox Patriot | October 11, 2018 | 35
Boys Golf
West takes out competitive field to win program’s first regional
Central, Providence
combine for eight
individual qualifiers
RANDY WHALEN
Freelance Reporter
Donna Thompson wasn’t
going to leave Lincoln-Way
West without putting up a
couple of numbers on the
boys golf banner.
The longtime coach, who
is retiring following this
school year, has been the
only boys golf coach and
also badminton coach that
West has ever had in its 10
years of being a school.
While she’s put a trio of sectional
titles and a couple of
conference championships
up on the badminton banner,
the Warrior boys golf one
was bare.
Until now.
The Warriors followed up
their first ever Red Division
of the SouthWest Suburban
Conference title the previous
week by winning the Class
3A Joliet Central Regional
on Oct. 2 at Inwood Golf
Course in Joliet.
Led by a 74 each from
brothers Collin and Zack
Phelps,West shot a 302 total
to edge Lockport Township
(306) and Homewood-
Flossmoor (307) to claim its
first regional championship
in program history. Lincoln-
Way Central (309), which
made it to state as a team last
year, took fourth still sent
five to the sectional
The Top 3 teams and the
Top 10 individuals qualified
for the Edwardsville
Sectional, which was held
on Monday, Oct. 8 at Sunset
Hills Country Club in Edwardsville.
“I knew coming into this
season that the banner was
blank,” Thompson said of
the boys golf display at
West. “I didn’t want to leave
Lincoln-Way Central sectional qualifier Juney Bai tees off
with an iron on a par 3.
letting it go blank like that.
“These guys have worked
hard all winter-long and they
were in tournaments all summer.
To see them all come
together as a team and to
keep bringing these scores, I
knew that we were going to
do something and whatever
they’ve earned, they’ve deserved.
We wanted to be one
of the top three teams coming
in here since we know
that going to sectionals is
more fun as a team. The
experience is fantastic, so
I couldn’t ask for anything
more.”
Providence (317), Lincoln-Way
East (327), Joliet
Central (331), Thornton
Fractional South (400) and
Romeoville (428) rounded
out the nine team field.
But the day belonged to
the Warriors, and the Phelps
brothers led the way.
“We knew we had a
chance,” said sophomore
Zack Phelps said of winning
the regional. “We just had to
play our own game and it’s
awesome. I always feel like
I have to beat Collin, and
he always feels like he has
to beat me. So it’s neat [that
they tied].”
His senior brother agreed.
“It was awesome,” Collin
Phelps said. “We showed
up and helped pull the team
through. It’s just postseason
golf. This [conference and
regional] is where you take
it up a notch, and it makes
everyone better.”
Senior Dylan Adair shot a
75 and was right behind the
brothers.
“We always had one or
two good scores, but it’s
been kind of hard for all of
us to put up scores together,”
Adair said. “So this is amazing.
We’ve been looked at as
a team that only individuals
would get out. But our team
has a lot of chemistry and everyone
gets along really well
and we’re all good friends
outside of golf, as well. With
this being coach’s last year,
she’s been awesome and everything
that we’ve needed
in a coach.”
Juniors Ethan Healy (79),
Jason Lange (83) and Nick
Hamilton (86) rounded out
the Warrior scores.
“The best has just been
being around these guys,”
Thompson said of her team
“They’re all excellent people.”
Last year, Central won a
sectional championship for
the first time since 1984 and
advanced to state for the first
time in 20 years. But some
high scores down the stretch
Lincoln-Way West’s Dylan Adair lags a putt Oct. 2 during the Joliet Central Regional at
Inwood Golf Course. Photos by James Sanchez/22nd Century Media
cost the Knights at the regional.
“It’s just one of those
things,” Central coach Ryan
Pohlmann said. “We knew
it would be a competitive
field and we just had some
untimely high scores. We ad
two or three guys get some
bad scores with some bogies
on the middle holes or so.
Outside of that we shot well.
But it’s going to make them
better in the long run.”
The five Knights advancing
are sophomore Sean
Curran (73), senior Brian
Sterling (77), freshman
Juney Bai (79), junior T.J.
Edmier (80) and sophomore
Nick Tingley (80). Senior
Jon Soldan (83) wasn’t far
behind for the Knights.
While Curran paced Central,
he’s the first to admit
he was disappointed. After
capturing the individual title
at the SWSC Red meet the
week before, he was 4-under
par through 13 holes. Then
disaster struck.
“I had a double on the
14th hole and a quad on the
15,” Curran said of his boogies.
“So it was rough. Our
goal was to win the sectional
again. Sure it’s good to get
through as an individual, but
it’s much more fun to go as a
team. That’s what brings out
the energy.”
For years, Providence
has advanced a team out
of the regional, including
last year. The Celtics won
seven regional titles in eight
years between 2009-16. But
although the young team
played well, they fell short
of that this season. Still a
trio of golfers advanced to
this seasons sectional.
“I believe we’ve had someone
go to the sectional every
one of my years here,” said
Providence coach John Platt,
who has been at the school
for 18 years. “And as a team
10 of the past 12 years. “We
had a competitive season all
the way around and it’s good
to get three guys through. I
was really happy for Michael
[Blake] to win a playoff and
advance.
“We’re young. We’re rebuilding
and having some
fun.”
Senior Joey Utz and sophomore
Davis Billows, who
are both from Lockport,
each shot 77 for the Celtics
to qualify as individuals.
Blake, a sophomore from
Homer Glen, had an 81 and
won a playoff involving
Joliet Central senior Matthew
Shroba and East senior
Scott Schipiour to also
advance. Junior Ryan Hilty
(82), John Brightmore (84)
and freshman Drew Blasky
(90) rounded out the Celtics
scores.