Spartans top state champions

A pair of freshmen golfers appearing in their first varsity tournament led

Glenbrook North to the championship Monday in the Rolling Green Invitational

in Arlington Heights.

Nick Hardy shot a 1-over-par 73 for second place and Brian Ohr shot a 77 as

the Spartans placed all four scorers in the top eight in the season-opening

tournament.

Stevenson senior Landon Kowalski took medalist honors with a 71. Kowalski

began the shotgun start at No. 2 and finished the front nine with a 1-under

34, the lowest score of the day for nine holes. He birdied back-to-back

holes at Nos. 8 and 9.

"I hit a lot of greens," Kowalski said. "I made a couple of good birdies

and all my putts inside 10 feet."

GBN (302) topped St. Viator (308), which has two returning starters from the

Class 3A state championship team. Kenny Weinkowski (75) tied for third and

Luke DeTrempe (76) tied for sixth with Glenbrook South's Quinlan Prchal.

Senior Jack Day (75) and sophomore Nick Jan (77) rounded out the scorers for

GBN. Loyola's Creighton Helms (75) joined Day and Weinkowski in a tie for

third.

Hardy was the runner-up in the Illinois Junior Golf Association's Chick

Evans Junior Amateur Championship in July and admitted to being a little

nervous when he took the first tee shot of his high school career this

afternoon on No. 2. His drive on the par-5 hole went right down the middle.

"I tried to go out there and do my best. I just wanted to out there and play

golf," Hardy said.

Buffalo Grove freshman Doug Ghim, the IJGA's Chick Evans Junior Am champion

and the IJGA's junior division player of the year, missed the season-opening

tournament due to pneumonia and could possibly return later this week.

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