The wind howled again Saturday. For Lemont, it almost blew the Indians' quest for a trophy off the rails.
Senior Shane Purtle was reeling, with bogeys replacing pars on the back nine.
But the Indians took third place, and their first trophy in boys golf, with the ultimate team effort. Junior Joe Paloian and senior Kevin Kling, hitting into the teeth of the 25-mph gale, birdied the over-water par-3 17th hole at Illinois State's Weibring Golf Club. Just ahead of them, junior Ray Cepele made birdie on the par-4 18th.
No other team could manage three birdies in the final two holes. That helped Lemont hang on for third, six strokes ahead of fourth-place Hillsboro, and earn the school's first trophy in golf.
That didn't bring about smiles instantly. The Indians are a goal-oriented group, and third place wasn't the goal. There were shots that got away, enough that might have surpassed runner-up Marimon Academy, which finished two strokes ahead of Lemont.
"It does feel good to have a trophy, to go back and say, ¡®Yeah, we did take third,' '' Kling said. "But in my eyes, shooting 313 yesterday we should have been there, if not lower today."
The 327, added to Friday's 313, gave Lemont a total of 72-over 640. Marmion, with a final-round total of 313, finished at 638, while Althoff Catholic of Belleville coasted to victory, totaling 56-over 624.
Kling scored 12-over 83. Paloian and Purtle gutted out 8-over 79s, with one of Purtle's six bogeys over the last seven holes coming about because he accidentally kicked his ball while checking yardage in the 13th fairway.
"Not a soul saw it," coach Mark Hollatz said. "He called it on himself."
Nothing else would have been expected, of course. But Purtle, who wants to major in accounting, wasn't about to fudge the numbers. It put him in a four-way tie for third at 9-over 151. (Marion's Jaret Brewer beat Marian Central's Luke Waggoner in a playoff for first with a par after they tied at 6-over 148.)
Hollatz played seven players over two days and six counted scores at least once, including senior Brian McMahon, who led off with an 86 that counted.
"As much as they're disappointed, when it all sinks in, they've got to think how special a year it is," said Hollatz, in his 17th year at Lemont.
After a few minutes reflection, Purtle liked the idea of carrying a trophy home.
"We came down with, maybe not as strong a team on paper (as last year),Hackensack (3-7) pulled within 20-13 in the third quarter when senior QB Matt Carroll tossed a 30-yard TD pass to senior WR Jonathan Blowers, their second scoring hookup of the day. but with a good feeling, because there was no pressure for us to perform,It was like a different man I was playing, as Dennis repeatedly made strong good drives ping K15 golf clubs, and could reach the green better than he ever had" Purtle said. "We played the way we knew we could and it turned out to be good enough."
Will Knights of Lincoln-Way West tied for 21st, adding a 4-over 75 to finish at 15-over 157.
Providence ninth in 3A
Friday's tough start proved too much for Providence to overcome in the final round of the Class 3A championship at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington. The Celtics finished third at 83-over-par 659.
Providence senior Ryan Utter scored 5-over-par 77 to total 8-over 152, tying for fourth, the best finish among area players. Telly Korbakes' birdie-birdie finish earned him an 80, overall 164, and a tie for 44th.
Lockport's A.J. Michalowicz added an 82 to Friday's 81, his total of 163 placing him in a tie for 40th.
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