Landen Plym leads Hall golfers to first regional title in 17 years

SPRING VALLEY - One little mishap was not going to spoil the day for Landen Plym and the Hall Red Devils.

Plym came in as medalist with a score of 73 at Wednesday’s Class 1A St. Bede Regional golf meet at Spring Creek, leading the Red Devils to their first regional championship since 2007.

Sophomore Joseph Perez came in fifth at 78, senior Jacob Diaz was seventh at 79 and sophomore Noah Plym was eighth at 81. The Red Devils rolled to a 14-stroke victory over runner-up Roanoke-Benson for the regional championship, defeating the Rockets 311-325.

“It will be awesome to make the sectionals as a team again,” Plym said. “My favorite memory of high school golf is the hotel room at sectional. It will be a lot of fun.”

“It means a lot to me, because it’s my last year. I’m a senior,” said Hall senior Jacob Diaz, who was also a member of the Red Devils’ sectional qualifier in 2022.

Hall coach Mason Kimberly takes Landen Plym’s game for granted, but seeing the team win is a bonus.

“Landen’s going to be Landen,” Kimberly said. “I’m happy we have three other players make some significant contributions today. Any time you can get three players under 80 and then have another one at 81, you’re putting yourself in position where you’re going to be tough to beat every time.

“Joe (Perez) had his best round of the year at the best time. And all the other players, try not to have any disaster holes and they accomplished that. We’re looking forward to sectionals now, because we know we have a shot.”

Also contributing to the Red Devils’ crown were Johnni Escatel (86) and Vance Pienta (100).

Putnam County’s Jacob Edens punched his ticket for Monday’s Rockford Lutheran Sectional at the Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Country Club in Rockford, tying for third place at 77.

Other area individual qualifiers were eighth-place Carson Rowe (81) and 16th place Jacob Miller (84) of Henry-Senachwine, 11th place Carter Senko (82) and 19th place Eli Gerdes of Fieldcrest, 14th place Nolan Price (83) of Streator Woodland, 16th place Zach Husser of St. Bede and 21st place Ashton Grady of Ottawa Marquette.

Spring Creek has been kind for the Hall golfers in the postseason. They also advanced to sectionals in 2022 as the regional runner-up behind the host Bruins.

“It’s a big advantage for us, because we made it to sectionals my sophomore year when it was out here, too,” Plym said. “It’s a tough course for other teams who haven’t played here.”

“It was really fun playing regionals at Spring Creek. I think it’s a big advantage knowing the course,” Diaz said.

Plym said things started out a little rough off the front 9, but it didn’t take him long to get control of things.

“Couldn’t make a putt. But ended up getting used to it,” he said. “Figured out the putter. The whole game came together then. Other than the mess up on 14, ended up with a pretty good round.”

The “mess up” happened when Plym inadvertently kicked his ball while walking down the fairway watching another player’s ball. Kimberly conferred with another coach and it was ruled as a one-stroke penalty.

“I honestly didn’t know what to do when I kicked it. It ended up being fine, just one penalty shot,” Plym said.

Diaz was happy with his game, especially his wedges.

“I was hitting a lot of greens in regs and my putting was pretty good today,” he said.

Perez saved his best round for last, shooting a season-best by six strokes.

“Got to make this one special,” he said. “That was goal for this year to make sectional.”

Both Edens, a senior, and Husser, a junior, will also be making their first sectional appearances.

“That was my goal. I missed sectionals by a stroke last year, so it’s a huge improvement,” Edens said. “My short game helped me a lot. My long game was up and down. My putting is what saved me today. Like they say, ‘Drive for show and putt for dough.’”

“I shot pretty decent. Could have been better, but I’m just happy to get out,” Husser said. “I want to have fun (at sectionals). I don’t plan on getting out, but it would be nice if I could.”

While Perez had his best game, neither Rowe or Senko thought they did.

“I’m happy, because I made it last year and kinda of want to make it all four years,” Senko said. “It wasn’t good. I just couldn’t hit my irons today.”

“It (my game) was very up and down,” said Rowe, who qualifies for sectional for the third straight year. “Started out with a 39, but a lot of bogeys on the front. Then I had a quad on the back, but other than that, played pretty well. Hit the ball good. Putting was OK.”

Fieldcrest came in fourth at 349, including scores by Carter Topolski (90) and Nathan Buchanan (92).

Host St. Bede and Henry-Senachwine Mallards tied for fifth place.

Along with Husser’s 84, the Bruins scored with senior Abe Wiesbrock adding an 87, juniors Caden Carls a 90 and Chris Gedraitis a 91 with Ty Carls adding a 95 and Noah Buck a 97.

For Henry, Jacob Miller had an 84, Ben Meachum an 88, Landon Harbison a 99, Bobby Gaspardo a 105 and Daniel Hill a 108.

Putnam County took 10th place with AJ Furar (93), Jacob Dove (96) and Ian Walder (107) joining Edens on the Panthers’ scorecard.

Marquette finished 13th, led by Ashton Grady (86) and Braxton Neile (98).