JOHN D. HOMAN The Southern
BLOOMINGTON — It wasn’t one of their better performances on the links this fall as a team, but the Benton Rangers are in a position to win their first-ever Class 2A state championship in boys golf should they play well Saturday.
The Rangers turned in a score of 308, good for third place behind St. Ignatius (304) and Lisle Academy (307). Springfield is fourth with a team score of 312. The tournament is hosted by Weibring Golf Course in Bloomington.
Top individual performer for Benton was sophomore River Stilley, conference and sectional champion, who is tied for first place with an even-par round of 72.
“River just refuses to quit,” said Benton head coach Reggie Norman. “He really stepped up his game for us today. He just continues to get better and better.”
Norman said his son, Cy, who finished with a 77, is due for a breakout performance.
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“We’ve been riding Cy pretty hard these last four years, and so any time he has a little bit of an off day it’s a surprise. I like my chances of Cy bouncing back and playing one of his better matches tomorrow.”
Norman said the team scores are higher due to the difficulty of the course and weather conditions.
“It’s a 36-hole tournament,” he said. “We are only four strokes back, which is nothing. We have every opportunity to do something special on Saturday.”
Carbondale’s Ian Davis is four strokes off the lead with a 76. Benton’s Nick Melvin followed with an 80. Luke Melvin contributed an 83 and Jeremiah Kay added an 86.
Terriers head coach Wendell Wheeler said he was impressed with Davis’ performance.
“It was cold and windy in the morning and then warmed up a little in the afternoon, but the conditions were tough,” Wheeler said. “Still, Ian fought his way through it very well. If one of his shots went into the rough, he would come up with a big chip and put the ball up close to the cup. He was so mentally focused today. I was proud too much effort.”
Davis delivered two birdies in his four-over round. With a big day Saturday, he could put himself in the hunt for a state title.
“He just has to play his game and get a few breaks,” Wheeler said.
In Class 1A, three individual players from Southern Illinois qualified for the finals Saturday at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington.
Nashville’s Parker Renken burned up the course with a one-over-par round of 73 to finish in a three-way tie for first place going into Saturday’s final round.
Aidan McFadden of Anna-Jonesboro qualified for the finals with a round of 82 and West Frankfort’s Ben Herron qualified with a score of 84.
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