August 27, 2016 — www.theintelligencer.com
Page 5
Fall Sports
Tigers are counting on returning trio to lead By SCOTT MARION smarion@edwpub.net The Edwardsville boys’ golf team opened the 2016 season minus the defending state champion and its longtime head coach, but there are still plenty of pluses for the Tigers. EHS finished last season with a fourth-place showing in the Class 3A state tournament at the Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington, finishing only seven strokes out of first place. It was the best finish for the Tigers since they placed third in 2008. Individually, Justin Hemings capped his prep career by winning the state title with a two-day, 1-overpar score of 145. Hemings, now playing at Northern Illinois University, became the first state champion golfer from Edwardsville. In late May, the program underwent another change when Dene Schickedanz resigned after 11 years as head coach. Former assistants Adam Tyler and Doug Wright, respectively now in their seventh and 10th years with the team, were named as co-head coaches.
At quick glance 2015 record: 10-0 Conference record: 7-0, 1st Postseason: Justin Hemings won state, team took 4th Starters returning: 3 Coaches: Adam Tyler, Doug Wright Intelligencer MVP: Justin Hemings
With all those changes, though, EHS still has a strong trio of golfers to build around as senior Luke Babington and juniors Ben Tyrrell and Tanner White return from the state tournament lineup. Tyrrell had the next-best finish at state for the Tigers, tying for 13th place with a score of 156 while Babington tied for 26th place at 158. White, meanwhile, shot 71 to win the Alton Sectional at Spencer T. Olin. “We bring a lot of experience back and that makes our job a little easier as first-year head coaches,” said Tyler, who will spend of his time working with the varsity.
Matthew Kamp/Intelligencer
Members of the Edwardsville boys’ golf team are, front row from left to right, Tanner White, Lucas Verdun, Ben Basarich, Seth Lipe and Isaac Garrett. In the back row from left to right are Ben Tyrrell, Luke Babington, Kyle Hylla, Spencer Patterson and Jon Ratterman. “They’ve played in these tournaments before and they’ve played these courses before. That gives us something to build around.” Babington, Tyrrell and White entered the season battling for the No 1 position. “As of right now, those guys are all 1A, 1B and 1C, but it’s golf,” Tyler said. “Tanner might be shooting really well this week, next week it could be Luke shooting really well and the week after
that Ben may be shooting really well. “They’re good friends and they get along really well. Even though there is somewhat of a competition among the three of them at times, it’s friendly competition. It’s something they use to help each other get better. Having them work with some of the younger guys is a good learning and teaching tool as well.” Rounding out the top five for
EHS are junior Jon Ratterman and senior Spencer Patterson. Both were part-time varsity players last season. “They’ve really improved over the past year and Spencer is playing some good golf right now and Jon is as well,” Tyler said. “They played a lot over the summer, including a lot of Gateway Junior PGA events and some other events around the state of Illinois. Their dedication is starting to pay
off.” The sixth member of the state contingent was Zach Trimpe, who is now a sophomore. Trimpe, who finished in a three-way tie for 77th place with a two-day total of 170, is not playing golf this fall in order to concentrate on tennis. Other players in the mix for varsity action include seniors Kyle Hylla and Isaac Garrett, junior Jack Marinko and sophomore Ben Basarich. All four played mostly
on the junior varsity level last season. “Kyle and Isaac have played in the program for three years now and they’re a couple more guys that worked hard over the summer,” Tyler said. “Jack and Ben also had some good scores over the first three days of tryouts, so we think they’re ready to contribute as well. Seth Lipe is another sophomore who has had some good tryout scores.”
Edwardsville aims to build on last season's success By MATTHEW KAMP mkamp.edwi@gmail.com A new era begins for the Edwardsville girls’ golf team. The Tigers, for the first time since the fall of 2005, will have a new head coach after the retirement of Tresa LaBoube. It will be a familiar face in Abby Comerford, who was an assistant last season and has been the head coach of the girls’ soccer team for the last seven years. “It’s been a pretty easy transition,” Comerford said. “By helping out last year, I was able to get to know the girls on varsity and junior varsity. The girls that have come up from junior varsity to varsity have blended well. It’s been a really smooth transition.” The transition will include keeping a winning tradition going for the program.
At quick glance 2015 record: 14-0 Conference record: 6-0, 1st Postseason: 4th at sectional Starters returning: 3 Coach: Abby Comerford Intelligencer MVP: Kayla Weinacht In 11 seasons as head coach at Edwardsville, LaBoube had 197 wins and eight Southwestern Conference championships. The Tigers won four regional titles, two sectional titles, made six state tournament appearances and had a third-place finish at state in 2006. “Any sport in Edwardsville, we all have high expectations. That’s nothing new to me. It’s just a matter of getting the girls prepared to meet those expectations,” Comerford said. The last of the eight conference championships came last season. After going 14-0 in the regular season, including a perfect 6-0 in the conference, and winning the Class AA O’Fallon Regional by 17 strokes, the Tigers appeared ready to make their fourth appearance at the state tournament in five years. Instead, a tough front nine at Weibring Golf Club for the Normal Community Sectional was too much to overcome for Edwardsville. The Tigers took fourth place, two strokes shy of the third and final state tournament berth. The team has been shut out of
Matthew Kamp/Intelligencer
Pictured is the Edwardsville girls' varsity golf team. From left to right are: Jessica Benson, Addy Zeller, Carlie Van Patten, Paige Hamel, Kayla Weinacht, Sydney Sahuri and Meara Schaefer. the state tournament the last couple seasons. They return three players in senior Kayla Weinacht and juniors Addy Zeller and Paige Hamel that have the ability to carry EHS back to state. “They’ve all been playing all summer and are all ready for this season,” Comerford said. “You never know which of three may lead you. Between those three, it will be good competition between them.” Weinacht returns for her senior season. She won medalist at the Madison County Tournament and
SWC Tournament and took second in the regional. She led the team in scoring average at 40.7. At last season’s conference tournament, Weinacht’s win came over Zeller. The junior is expecting an even bigger season after a hectic summer. She played in seven Junior Tour PGA Gateway tournaments and had five top-four finishes. Two of those five were victories. She won the Tour Tune Up at Oak Brook Golf Club, a firing an 8-over 79, and the two-day tournament at The Quarry at Crystal Springs, with
a total of 26-over 166. Zeller fired a career low for an 18-hole round with a 4-over 76 at Annbriar Golf Course on July 22. She placed second in the two-day tournament. Last season as a sophomore, Zeller, who shot a nine-hole career low 35 against Belleville East, was third on the team in scoring at 41.5. Hamel was fourth on the team in scoring at 43.4 last season. She had 10 birdies. With Hamel, Zeller and Weinacht back, the Tigers will have a head
start on trying to win a third straight conference title and 11th in 13th years. They will receive some help from varsity newcomers junior Carlie Van Patten, sophomores Meara Schaefer and Sydney Sahuri and freshman Jessica Benson. “They should definitely all help with rounding out the roster,” Comerford said. The Tigers, who were rained out at the Madison County Tournament, will play in four tournaments this season, not including the conference
tournament. Edwardsville is in the Alton Marquette Blast-Off today at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course. It will also play in the Alton Invitational at the Woodlands on Sept. 10, the IllinoisMissouri Challenge at the Orchards Golf Course on Sept. 17 and the Gary Bair Invitational at Oak Brook Golf Club on Sept. 29. The Tigers will play nine times at Oak Brook, their home course. The regional is also at Oak Brook with the sectional at Illini Country Club in Springfield.