Prep golf: Locals looking to enjoy their trips to state

Dixon golfer Katie Drew knows a thing or two about playing on the state’s biggest stage at the end of the season.

The Duchesses senior will be playing at the state meet at Red Tail Run in Decatur this weekend for the third straight season, after tying for second place with a 6-over-par 78 at the Class 1A Lanark Sectional on Monday at Lake Carroll. She won the regional title last week at PrairieView in Byron by nine strokes with a 5-over 77.

This would have been her fourth trip to state, but the event was canceled her freshman season in the spring of 2021 because of COVID. Drew placed 29th as a sophomore, and vaulted up to fifth last year as a junior. And while she’s aiming high again, her main focus this weekend will be to soak in the experience one final time.

“Last year, I finished fifth, which is kind of a big feat to outdo again, so I’m just going to go down there, it’s my senior year, have fun, and whatever happens, happens,” she said. “Finishing fifth last year, I kind of accomplished my top-10, top-5 goal I wanted heading into high school, so I’m just going to go down and enjoy the last few moments as a Dixon golfer.”

Drew is the lone girls golfer from the area to qualify for state, but there will be a few boys competing this weekend.

Sterling junior Mason Hubbard fired a 4-over 76 at the 2A Freeport Sectional to advance to Weibring Golf Club in Normal. It will be a new experience for Hubbard, who hopes to bring with him the same strong short game he displayed in the sectional.

“I didn’t even make sectionals last year, so this is a good achievement for me, and it just means a lot of hard work is paying off,” Hubbard said. “I played there in a tournament this summer, so at least I know the golf course some, and I’m going to go out there and try my best. I’ve always just tried to stay in my own lane at big tournaments, just play the best I can and not worry too much about what other players are doing. I’m just going to focus on playing my game.”

Newman senior Logan Palmer will be making a return trip to the 1A state meet at Prairie Vista in Bloomington, beating the cutline by a stroke with an 80 at the Sherrard Sectional. Last year he tied for 30th at state and says the growth of his game this season has him looking forward to the season finale.

“I have a lot of confidence, because I’ve been striking the ball phenomenally in the latter part of the season. I’m playing solid, and anything is possible at state,” he said. “Last year, I hit 29 of 36 greens in regulation [at state] and putted horribly; this year, I’ve been putting well, and it’ll be fun to throw some decent scores up. A realistic and challenging goal would be to break the top 10. That would be a good milestone to achieve.”

Palmer will be joined at the 1A meet by Bureau Valley sophomore Wyatt Novotny, who qualified with a 79 at the Sherrard Sectional, and the Fulton Steamers, who advanced as a team from that same sectional.

The Steamers shot a 333 to tie for the third spot, and they advanced to state thanks to a fifth-score tiebreaker over River Ridge. It’s their third trip to state as a team; they also qualified in 2019 and 1982.

Coach Mitch Van Zuiden said the achievement was a total team effort. Junior Zach Winkel was steady the entire round and finished with an 80, freshman Owen Van Zuiden battled back from a rough opening hole to fire an 82, and senior leader Brady Read was consistent all day and kept his teammates’ spirits up on his way to an 85.

Sophomore Jacob Voss had a rough go of it on the 14th hole, but bounced back to shoot 1-under par over the final four holes, and it was his putt on the 18th hole that tied the Steamers with River Ridge. And sophomore Dawson Price made a couple of key birdies down the stretch to finish with an 87 and secure that fifth-score tiebreaker. Junior Evan Piercy (115) rounded out the lineup.

“I’m really proud of all the guys and how they kept grinding, just didn’t give up,” Van Zuiden said. “I told them that one putt could make a huge difference, and it really did at the end. That 333 is the worst score we’ve shot all year, so we didn’t play our best and still qualified, and I think that will help these guys focus for this weekend. There’s going to be some tension and nerves right off the bat, but I think these guys will get on the course and be fine, just play golf and enjoy it. There’s no pressure, because you can’t go any farther than state.”

Winkel said the trick for the Steamers will be to play their usual game and also try to enjoy the experience and not be overwhelmed by the moment.

“I think we’ll play well. We just can’t get too ahead of ourselves, and we just have to play our game,” he said. “We all wanted to go to state, and it was amazing that we can all go together as a team. That makes it even better this weekend. It’s what we wanted all year. It was on our goal sheet when we started the season, and I think we’re going to really enjoy the moment.”