Fulton’s team in prime position: Sauk Valley state boys golf preview

Here is a capsule look at the IHSA State Finals in Class 1A and 2A this weekend where boys golfers from the Sauk Valley area will be competing.

Class 1A

The basics: Friday and Saturday at Prairie View Golf Course in Bloomington. The first group tees off at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

Defending state team champion: St. Anthony (311-311 – 622)

Last year’s state runner-up: Riverdale (316-312 – 628)

Last year’s state individual champion: Thomas Hereau of River Ridge (70-73 – 143)

Local interest: Fulton: Owen Van Zuiden, so., Zach Winkel, sr., Jacob Voss, jr., Dawson Price, jr., Chase Dykstra, jr., Braeden Brennan, sr.; Bureau Valley: Wyatt Novotny, sr.; Forreston: Kaden Brown, jr.

Advancing: Friday’s top eight teams and the top 40 individuals (including ties) not on the top eight teams will advance to Saturday’s second and final round of 18 holes.

FYI: Fulton shot a 315 at sectionals to take third behind Riverdale (299) and Rockford Lutheran (312). Owen Van Zuiden led the team with a 76 to take sixth individually. The Steamers set a school record with a 300 at the Riverdale invite earlier this season. The other top scores at the sectional meets among advancing teams in 1A were from Quincy Notre Dame (296), Riverdale (299) and Mater Dei (309). Fulton shot a 314 at the regional.

The Steamers finished ninth at state last year, shooting a 673 (334-339); Riverdale (312-316 – 628) took second, and Lutheran (323-319 – 642) was fourth. Fulton also qualified as a team in 2019 (taking seventh) and 1982. Van Zuiden led Fulton at state last year after tying for 34th (79-83 – 162); Voss (168) was tied for 56th; Price (172) was 72nd, and Winkel (174) was tied for 78th.

For Forreston, Brown shot a 78 as one of 10 advancing individuals from the sectional. He is Forreston’s first boys golfer to qualify for state, according to available information on ihsa.org, going back 28 years. Forreston coach Matt Hanley was told the school first had golf around 1999 or 2000. Bureau Valley’s Novotny also shot a 78 at the sectional; he placed 64th at state last year after firing a 169 (87-82).

Class 2A

The basics: Friday and Saturday at Weibring Golf Club in Normal

Defending state individual champion: Regan Konen of Marmion Academy (70-71 – 141)

Local interest: Dixon: Ben Oros, sr. Sterling: Mason Hubbard, sr.

FYI: Dixon’s Oros is a first-time state qualifier. He and Sterling’s Hubbard each shot a 77 to tie for eighth at the sectional. The two also shot 73s at the Sterling Invite before Oros won in a playoff. At the Sterling Regional, Oros matched his season best with another 73 to win overall medalist and help the Dukes win their first regional title since 2010.

This is Hubbard’s second time qualifying for state; he shot a 162 (81-81) last year to tie for 43rd.