Benton Rangers, Mt. Carmel Lady Aces in position for state titles

Posted By: dkinnard
October 9, 2021 @ 5:54 am
Anna-Jonesboro, Benton, Carbondale, Christopher, CORL, Golf, Goreville, Harrisburg, Marion, Massac County, Mt. Carmel, Mt. Vernon, Salem, Slider, West Frankfort, Zeigler-Royalton

Darren Kinnard
Section618.com

The Benton Rangers and Mt. Carmel Lady Aces each will take leads into the final rounds of their respective State Golf tournaments. Benton leads the 2A Boys field by six strokes, while Mt. Carmel leads the 1A Girls field by seven strokes.

The Rangers tallied a 291 score on day one at Weibring Golf Club in Normal, six shots better than St. Ignatius College Prep and Wheaton Academy. Ottawa Township is ten shots back in fourth with Breese Mater Dei fifth, 13 shots back.

Benton junior Cy Norman fired a 5-under 66 for a one shot lead over Wheaton Academy’s Sam Dykema and a two shot advantage over Jacksonville’s Brady Kaufmann. Norman was one of three Rangers to finish in the top 10 in round one. Freshman River Stilley is tied for 7th with a 1-over 72. Sophomore Luke Melvin is in a group tied for 10th after a 2-over 73. That group includes Carbondale junior Ian Davis. The other three Rangers–Andrew Bell, Kash Cantrell, and Nick Melvin–all carded 9-over 80s.

Mt. Vernon’s Blaze Greathouse shot an opening round 79 to make the cut.

Vandalia has a four shot lead after one round in the 1A Boys tournament at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington. There are no area teams in the 1A field. Anna-Jonesboro’s Luke Lasley is tied for fourth individually after an opening round of even par 72. Lasley is two shots back of the leader, Chase Laack from Vandalia. Christ Our Rock Lutheran’s Parker Boehne is tied for seventh after a 2-over 74. Other area golfers making the cut to play in the final round include Marissa’s Caleb Trieb (77), Goreville’s AJ Johnson (79), and West Frankfort’s Lucas Whittington (80).

Mt. Carmel tallied a 302 opening round team score in the 1A Girls tournament at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur. Alton Marquette is second, seven shots back with Chicago Latin a distant third, 31 shots back. The Massac County Lady Patriots claimed the 8th and final team spot in Saturday’s finals with a score of 350.

Individually, Marquette’s Gracie Piar owns a six shot lead following a blistering opening round 7-under 65. Mt. Carmel freshman Emily Gottman is tied for third after an on opening round 72. Area golfers making the cut include Harrisburg’s Frankie Leigh Nicholes (83) and Madison McClusky (83), Salem’s Kenzie Anderson (84), Carbondale’s Annie Shin (87), and ZRC’s Chelsea Young (88).

There were only two area golfers in the 2A Girls field at Hickory Point Golf Course in Decatur, and both made the cut. Marion’s Sarah Capel shot an opening round 79, while teammate Baylee Kelley carded an 84.