Robles to Take Another Swing at State

Curt Wadlington may need new shoes. The boys golf coach wore a path from the scoreboard to the final hole at Hilldale Golf Club Monday awaiting confirmation his top golfer had clinched his third-consecutive visit to the state finals.

As each foursome finished, he would walk back to the clubhouse and watch the scores for those players, being handwritten onto the board, hoping Robles’ score was sufficient.

The worn tread and worry were worth it.

Nearly nine hours after the Division 3A sectional began, Wadlington finally could rest his sneakers when learning Nick Robles’ 2-over-par 73 was good for second place overall and a return trip to Bloomington. Robles, who shot a 3-under-par in the regional at Barrington last week, finished three strokes behind first-place finisher Brian Miller of Carmel, but at one point was pacing the field.

“(Robles) was three under at one point,” Wadlington said. “But he had a few bogeys after and it made it closer on whether he would qualify.”

In retrospect, Robles would’ve needed a major collapse on the final holes to miss qualifying for the state tournament. The final of 10 individual state-qualifiers shot a 78, five strokes behind the Crystal Lake South golfer. And if he improves his final position from last year’s state final, even one position, he’s the state champion.

Robles finished state-runner-up last year to a golfer who graduated and won’t be in this year’s event. Wadlington said Robles will certainly be in contention again this year and he hopes simple deduction means a state championship.

“Nick will be there and be a force,” Wadlington said. “He will have to shoot about a 75 and 75, if not better, to be there for the title.”

coach Mike Hermann said Robles has good timing, which will help with the quest for a state title.

“He’s playing some of his best golf right now and it’s the perfect time,” Hermann said.

The state final is a two-day event, starting Friday at Prairie Vista Golf Course. Unfortunately for both Crystal Lake South and Central, neither will be attending the state finals as a team, nor had any other individuals qualify. Central had two individual golfers, Max Rand (86) and JD Garoufalis (96), qualify for the sectional, though neither were able to advance to this weekend’s state final.

The South qualified as a team, but finished in last position, shooting 358.

Lake Forest was tops in team scoring, with 301. Brian Miller of Carmel was the top individual golfer, shooting a 70.