Heartbreaking Elimination for Boys Golf, But Four Individuals Advance

One lousy stroke.

The top four teams at the boys golf regional tournament at Wheaton's Arrowhead Golf Club on Tuesday could hardly have been closer. Four strokes separated first from fourth—and one lousy stroke separated advancing from season's end.

Hinsdale Central: 317. Advancing. Wheaton-Warrenville South: 319. Advancing. Glenbard West: 320: Advancing.

Lyons Township: 321. Going home. (Well, somewhat.)

The day couldn't have been anything but bittersweet for senior T. J. Silvey, who shot one of his best rounds of the year, an incredible 75, to tie for first with Wheaton-Warrenville's Tee-K Kelly. (Kelly won a one-hole playoff to claim victory in the tournament.)

But in the end, the Lions suffered the minor ignominy of having to send Silvey forward into sectionals as an individual—Silvey, who scored five strokes ahead of any other individual qualifier from any school.

LTHS coach Brian Kopecky praised Silvey, who hasn't been able to catch a break lately—he sabotaged a six-birdie round at last week's conference meet with a quadruple bogey on which he played a full sleeve worth of balls. But on Tuesday, overall, he shined.

"He's been the X factor, and he showed up today," said Kopecky. "Today when the lights were on bright, he came through, so we hope that he can keep going and ride himself into the state meet as an individual qualifier."

Other Lions individual qualifiers: sophomore Charlie Netzel (80,) sophomore Ryan Hudson (83,) and junior Kevin Carlson (83.) Sophomore Chris Sekula came close to qualifying with an 88, but lost a two-hole playoff to West Chicago's Kyle Martens.

"We didn't play as well as we're capable of playing," Kopecky added. "This is a tough regional, and you have to play extremely well and we didn't. We had some guys that we needed to play what they've been playing all year long and they didn't. What are you going to do?"

Silvey, Netzel, Hudson, and Carlson will next play at the Naperville Central Sectional, which will be held Monday, Oct. 11 at Naperbrook Golf Course in Plainfield.