Local golfers fail to qualify for IHSA boys golf state finals

CRETE | Despite the losses, there was plenty to be gained from Monday's sectional golf championship.

It was a rough day for local golfers at the Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional at Balmoral Woods Country Club in Crete as none will play in the state finals next week and in the team competition, Marian Catholic, Mount Carmel, and Homewood-Flossmoor failed to advance to the finals as a team.

Crete-Monee's Miles Bailey had a tough day for the Warriors, recording a round of 85. Six golfers with a round of 83 were forced to take part in a playoff for the final three spots to the state meet. Bailey said that he knew he left numerous shots out on the course, but as a junior, Bailey also knows that he will be back next year and his losses this year will only make him stronger.

"It was very devastating and right now I'm pretty emotional," Bailey said. "I can go back on my round and find six to 12 strokes I could have dropped off. It was just tough today. For me, it was a fight that was just too much. As of now, I say this is nothing that isn't going to make me better for the future."

Crete-Monee's Mike Wojtanowski scored a 91, while T.F. North's Dennis Minefee shot a 90 for the Meteors. Sean Rea of Marian Catholic shot an 89 and was disappointed with the Spartans' play on Monday.

"I didn't play pretty well, and the conditions of the course didn't help," Rea said. "The greens were rolling really fast. We had a real good year up to today. We didn't play to our potential today which is pretty upsetting. Before today we were playing pretty good."

Homewood-Flossmoor's Jordan Pounder and Joe Proby each shot an 86 for the Vikings, but H-F was unable to advance in the team competition due to the stiff competition.

"We're a pretty inexperienced team and a little disappointed with today's performance," Viking coach Chris Stiglic said. "I thought we might have a chance of one or two kids getting out as individuals. We have a good opportunity next year with a lot of young kids."

New Trier, Loyola Academy, and Oak Park River Forest all moved on to the team competition at the finals next weekend in Bloomington. New Trier captured first in the team competition with a 301. Homewood-Flossmoor's 353 was good for eighth place in the team standings.