10/17/2009

Waterloo golfer Wils Hawn put himself in position Friday to win the boys Illinois Class 2A individual state title today.

Hawn, a senior, is in a five-way tie for first heading into the final round after shooting a 4-over-par 75 at Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University in Normal.

After playing in intermittent rain and cold, Hawn is knotted with David Flynn and Blake Biddle of Wheaton Academy, Mitchell Homb of Dixon and George Tate of Springfield.

"You just had to keep the ball in play," Hawn said by phone. "Try to get the ball up and down when you needed to. It was tough playing."

As for trying to win it all today and becoming the first player in school golf history to do so, he said he will have to "block that out. I'll think about it when it's over with. I just need to put the ball in the fairway and just let it happen."

Two Waterloo golfers have finished second at state: Mitchell Gregson (2005 in Class AA) and Mark Yochum (1984 in Class A).

Gregson actually tied for first with Thomas Greene of Lake Park but lost in a four-hole playoff.

In the Class 3A tournament at The Den at Fox Creek on Friday, Edwardsville's Alex Flaugher is tied for 13th heading into today's final after shooting a 5-over 77. Flaugher's teammate Devlin Keenoy had a 78, Colin Ahlvers of Collinsville was at 79 and teammate Nathan Nottrott shot 82. Brett Denap of Granite City had an 85, and Edwardsville's Dan Weiler came in with a 97.

In the Class A tournament at Prairie Vista in Bloomington, Steve Souchek of Gibault was in a six-way tie for eighth going into today's final after carding a 4-over 76. Danny Selby of Alton Marquette had an 80, Jered Hogan of Roxana and Drew Weisenborn of Columbia were in with 81s and Brett Guthrie of Piasa Southwestern shot 84.

In the girls Class AA tournament at Hickory Ridge in Carbondale, Jae Yang of Mascoutah is 2 shots off the lead going into the finals. She is in five-way tie for seventh after shooting a 3-over 75. Kristi Tschudin of Belleville East had an 87, and Caitlin Osborn of Edwardsville and Kelsi Wuller of Althoff each carded 88s.

In the Class A tournament at Crab Orchard Golf Course in Carterville, Taylor Koeller shot 99, teammate Abby Bergkoetter had a 104 and Suzi Johnes of Alton Marquette scored a 107. The finals will be today.