Evanston’s boys golf team offered more than a glimmer of hope of keeping their season alive midway through the Class 3A Lyons Township Sectional tournament Monday in Lockport.
The Wildkits were actually threatening to make a run at a state qualifying berth as an entire team, and that would have been a first for the program since 2013.
But that bid fizzled out over the back nine holes at Prairie Bluff Golf Club.
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Top scorers Will Wagener (41) and Kieran Low (43) blew up over the last 9 holes to ruin their individual bids, and Evanston finished 9th in the team standings with a score of 313. New Trier (280), Conant (291) and Glenbrook South (300) claimed the automatic team qualifying spots for next weekend’s Class 3A Illinois High School Association state tournament at The Den in Bloomington.
Wagener, junior Harrison Stracks (39-39) and sophomore Miles Gomberg (39-39) all carded 78s for ETHS to go with sophomore Low’s effort of 79. Also competing for the Wildkits were McHenry Mason (42-43-85) and David Castellini (44-43-87).
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Low was standing at even par when he took the turn with a 36 after 9 holes, and Wagener was just one-over-par at 37.
After that? It all went downhill for the Wildkit 1-2 scoring punch, and to be honest, they weren’t sure just what happened.
“It’s tough when you have such high hopes,” sighed ETHS head coach Jed Curtis. “It wasn’t for lack of effort, or lack of heart, from Will and Kieran. But when it started to slip a little on the back nine, I think they felt the pressure.
“What happened was uncharacteristic of both of them. Will took a double (bogey) on the par 3 and he was striking the ball well up until then. I think the (90-degree) slowed them down on the back 9. There were some long waits (due to backups in play in front of them) and that didn’t help. Everyone was playing in the same stuff (weather conditions), but it looked to me like it took them out of their rhythm.
“But I couldn’t be prouder of the way these kids grinded today. We had four guys in the 70s and that was a solid effort. It just wasn’t enough against teams that are going to win trophies at State.”
“I don’t want to make any excuses,” said Wagener, a senior. “But when I doubled on No. 13 it was hard for me to bounce back. I was already 3-over at that point and that put on a lot of pressure.
“I started out with birdies on No. 1 and No. 2 but it was hard for me to make any pars from there, especially knowing what was at stake. It kinda stings to end the year this way, but I am proud of the scores I posted at the end of the year this season.”
Low, who missed advancing to State as an individual as a freshman by 2 shots, would have needed at least a 73 Monday to keep playing.
“Honestly, I don’t know what happened,” he said. “Everything just stopped working. It was a lot of bad that piled up on top of each other.
“I had one birdie --- on No. 8 --- and I felt good coming into today. My front 9 was fine. I felt like the slower pace on the back didn’t affect me --- but I might be wrong. It’s a little bit more disappointing than it was last year, but I’ve still got more years (of potential qualifying) to look forward to.”
