Kahok golfers off to solid start to season
by Mark Jurgena
COLLINSVILLE — It was a productive week for the Collinsville High School boys golf team as they finished high up on the leaderboard in three tournaments.
“The big positive for us was earlier this week on Tuesday at the Woodlands we shot pretty well and got fourth, but the three teams that were ahead of us were in our regional,” began CHS coach Colin Moore. “Then we fought pretty hard and played pretty well at Madison County and were only three strokes behind Edwardsville. Then today we ended up fifth but the good news is that those three teams that beat us on Tuesday, we were able to leap frog O’Fallon and Edwardsville today.
“That kind of shows our kids that we can beat those schools.”
Quincy
The Kahoks had a successful day on the links at the Westview Golf Course in Quincy on Aug. 24.
At the 75th annual Quincy Invitational the Kahoks brought home a fifth place finish. They shot a five-person score of 402 only three shots behind fourth place Moline.
Edwardsville was sixth and O’Fallon was seventh with Alton finishing in eight place.
Chatham (Glenwood) won the tourney by one shot over Quincy (Notre Dame) and two shots over Jacksonville. Glenwood came in with a team score of 390.
“They (Glenwood) shot a 390 today, which was a great score,” said Moore. “We were right on that for most of the day. We just kind of faltered down the end a little bit. I talked to the boys that we’re not always in a position to win in the past and it’s kind of a new experience for them. But I’d rather the pressure be now at the beginning of the year so hopefully that won’t happen at the end of the year.”
Individually for the Kahoks, Casen Compton and Eli Verning both fired a 76. Compton finished in 10th place with Verning finishing 12th.
Drew Bailey was also under 80 for the day firing a 79.
Henry Stirnaman fired an 83 and Ryker Shea carded an 88.
Beau Eftink of QND won a three-way playoff to claim the 75th invitational championship. He beat Glenwood’s Cam Appenzeller and Chase Hadley of Rock Island.
MadCo
On Aug. 22, the Kahoks took second place at the Madison County Tournament just three shots off the pace at Belk Park in Wood River. Edwardsville won the tourney by firing a 300.
Highland was third with a 307.
For Collinsville, Bailey shot a one-under 71 while Verning, the defending MadCo individual champ, shot a 75.
Shea entered the clubhouse with a 78 while Compton fired an 86.
Edwardsville’s Mason Lewis won the individual crown at the tournament.
Alton (Marquette) won the Small Schools county crown.
Alton Tee-off
In their opening tourney, Collinsville took fourth place in the 24-team Alton Tee-Off Classic at The Woodlands in Granite City on Aug. 20.
The Kahoks came in with a team score of 313, just 12 shots behind team champion Edwardsville. O’Fallon finished second with a 304 while Chatham (Glenwood) finished at 305.
Breese (Mater Dei) was fifth at 315.
Individually for the Kahoks, Verning led the way firing a 72.
Shea added a 78 with Bailey carding an 80.
Compton shot an 82 with Stirnaman into the clubhouse with a 90.
Jacksonville’s Colton Baer was the individual champion shooting a three-under 69.
Belleville West
Collinsville began their season on Aug. 15 with a dual match win over their Southwestern Conference rivals from Belleville West.
Bailey fired a 34 with Compton shooting a 38.
Shea shot a 39 with Verning coming in with a 40.
Upcoming Schedule
The Kahoks are in the Dick Gerber Invitational Friday and Saturday this weekend.
Friday’s round will take place at Timber Lakes Golf Course in Staunton while Saturday will be at Belk Park in Wood River.
On Tuesday they will take part in the first round of the Southwestern Conference Tournament at Stonewolf Golf Course in Fairview Heights.
