SPORTS
FRIDAY, SEPT 8, 2017
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BEARS PRACTICE
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Boys’ golf focuses on consistency BY ANTHONY SANTANGELO Sports Editor
T
alent has been a major part of the boys’ golf program, producing state caliber players in former golfers Nick Tenuta and Robert Garmoe. Tenuta placed third out of 112 golfers at state last year. With the graduation of these players, the team has had to fill very big shoes. Juniors Jack Knott, Charlie Busch and senior Josh Kern have been the perfect fit. Busch is the only returning player in the conference who qualified for state last year. Varsity coach Tom Martindale agrees that the team has a new identity without these key players. “It’s a lot different,” Martindale said. “It makes you reflect a little bit back and go, ‘Wow who were they and what did they do,’ and you shake your head. But in the same breath you [have] got to move on [to the] next play. We have moved different people into leadership roles. We are forming a new identity and it is one that is going to be good, it’s just different.” The team has been able to put up with tough competition in teams like Glenbrook North, New Trier, Palatine and Barrington. “In the meets so far, our meet at Glenbrook North at Sportsman Country Club, we played really well,” Knott said. “We bounced back from a rough day at Rolling Green. … The best part about our team is that everybody chips in here and there.” At the Palatine invite on Aug. 24, the team tied Barrington at 161 and beat Palatine 161-173. Senior Riley Kingston led the Knights with a score of 39, followed by Knott and junior John Cantieri with 40. “Day to day consistency and performance [is what we need to work on],” Martindale said. “To not fluctuate and go 78, 88. Somewhere 78, 82. [We put emphasis on] being very consistent within your own individual ability. We will get better if we do that. … What we are really looking for is each individual player to be consistent in their
SHORT GAME: Junior Jack Knott putts at Hilldale Golf Club in Hoffman Estates on Aug. 29. Our goal is always just to stay positive and focus on the next task at hand,” Knott said. “I think we have a lot of energy and [the] ability to put our poor days behind us.” (photo by Erik Velazquez) performance when it counts.” On Aug. 19 the team lost to New Trier by only six strokes. Even though it was a slow start for the team on the front nine, they composed themselves to keep the score reasonable, which showed character, according to Charlie Busch. Senior Nate Dunker was able to shoot a personal best of 76, while Busch produced a score of 77. Knott, Busch and Dunker have continued to be the cream of the crop. One of the first tournaments the
team participated in was a varsity combined with JV competition. They ended the day at third place out of 10 teams. Busch and sophomore Dylan Norton won the tournament along with Knott and sophomore Sam Ergastolo, earning a medal. Martindale believes that working hard week by week will allow the team to do well once the playoffs start to come around. “What we are trying to do is not get a big picture like we [have] got to [accomplish] this,” Martindale said. “It’s more like we are taking
Q. what do they contribute to the team?
[our goals] incrementally, so our goal is to try to get better every week, so by the time we get to the conference meet we’re better.” The main struggle right now for the team is the lack of experience. Due to the loss of many seniors, the team’s younger core has had to step up and allow the depth of the team to develop. “We need to get more comfortable on the golf course,” Busch said. “I think we will piece it all together.” Busch practices about two hours a day to become a consistent player and his hopes are to eventually play at the college level. This allows Busch to be ahead of most people in the conference. Last year Busch was named an All-Conference player. This summer he placed first in a tournament at Palatine Hills through the Illinois Junior Golf Association (IJGA). “Most of the people on the team are not playing bad, but we are just not playing where we should be,” Busch said. “I think the more and more we play the better we will get.” A couple of notable additions to this team have created the urgency for players to try to show they can contribute to the varsity roster. “[I think that] Josh Kern is unique,” Martindale said. “[He’s a] guy who played football and now it’s his second year playing golf. [It’s] unique that we have two junior captains and a senior captain… Josh his only second year, [Junior Tyler] Preissing’s first year. The juniors are outnumbering the seniors.” Even though inexperience is something that could weigh down the team, it doesn’t keep them from staying together and playing their best. “Our goal is always just to stay positive and focus on the next task at hand,” Knott said. “ I think we have a lot of energy and [the] ability to put poor days behind us. Even if we don’t play well and we pick up a win, it’s still a win. That’s a big strength, our energy and unity as a team.”
Junior nets first ever hole in one BY ANTHONY SANTANGELO Sports Editor On Aug. 19 the varsity girls’ golf team was going through a regular practice round at Palatine Hills Golf Course. As junior Amanda Stein and other teammates approached the seventh hole, the team was conversing about people they know who have gotten hole in ones. “I was saying my dad has had [a hole in one] and [varsity coach Jim Hamann] said that he had [a hole in one],” Stein said. “I swung and [the ball] went up in the air and [Hamann] said, ‘nice shot’ and it hit the green and then it rolled in. I was playing with three other girls… and my coach was watching too so we all saw it go in.” The team is looking solid this year with a record of 4-1. They only lost to Loyola Academy by six stroke. Stein shot a 40 at Palatine Hills on Aug. 24 which contributed greatly towards the blowout win against Palatine 164-203.. “Allison Buck and Taylor Gentri asked me if I ever had a hole in one,” Hamaan said. “I said yes I have had one… and the very next shot was [Stein] and she hit a really good one. “it bounced right next to the pin, rolled right into the hole, and we just went crazy. It’s an awesome accomplishment. It couldn’t happen to a better girl and it was fun for the whole team, not just [Stein].”
Who are the team’s impact players and
A.
[Senior] Kevin Shane is our goalie. He’s our wall in the net and he contributes by playing well, blocking shots and controlling the game from the back. I would also say [junior] Tengis Tulga. He’s our center defender, he really controls everything that is in front of him, so he’s big for us.
Q. What are your goals for the season? are looking to win the [MSL] East. A.Q.We That is our main goal this year, and
everything after that we just [have] got to come to play.
Q.A.What game did the team play well all around in? The second half of our game against
South. The first half wasn’t A. Glenbrook bad, we were down a goal, but we came back in the second half and played our game and came out with the victory.
Aaron Whiteman Year: Senior Sport: Soccer
are the team’s strengths? Q. What Our strong bond. Our chemistry is realgood. We have a strong attack, solid and a solid goalie so all around A. lydefense, the field we are pretty solid. can the team do to improve the Q. What rest of the season?
A.
I think we can improve by communicating better on the field and also by playing our game during games, not the way other teams play. That’s more of an in game adjustment, but we just [have] got to play our game as the game goes on, go with the flow.