Glatz advances to state golf tourney with 78

Dehydration forced Ben Glatz to withdraw on the back nine of a regular-season tournament at Oak Grove Golf Course in Harvard.

On an unseasonably warm and windy October Monday, Glatz was back at Oak Grove and looking to quench his thirst for another trip to the boys state golf tournament.

Glatz found a 7-over-par 78 satisfying enough to advance from the Class 3A McHenry sectional to this weekend's state tourney at the Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington.

"This is just a gateway to try to get to the next part," Glatz said of qualifying for state for the second straight year. "Whatever gets you out gets you out."

Glatz was among six golfers who shot 78s to survive and advance from the rugged 7,021-yard test that had coaches and competitors talking about some pin placements that seemed better suited to a miniature golf course.

Woodstock senior Caleb Remington took medalist honors with 73. Ross Frankenberg shot 77 to lead Barrington to its seventh sectional title and first since 1996 with a 326.

Cary-Grove advanced to state for the first time in three decades with a 327. Perennial power Lake Forest shot 327 but missed out on a fifth-score tiebreaker with only two schools advancing under the new three-class format.

Mundelein shot 336 in its first sectional team appearance to tie McHenry for fifth.

Glatz said Oak Grove was much tougher than earlier in the year with a couple of brief downpours thrown into the mix. He shot 39 on each nine.

"A couple more putts could have dropped and it could have been lower," Glatz said.

Glatz was 3-over after four holes on the back but regrouped.

"I just sort of grinded it out and made some pars," Glatz said.

He hopes to have a few more in his second trip to state after shooting 81-84 last year in Bloomington.

"I know the course and know where to hit shots," Glatz said. "It was tough to go in there blind."

Mundelein senior Johnny Pierpont was hoping he would be heading to Bloomington when he chipped in for an eagle on the par-5 18th.

"I couldn't believe it," Pierpont said. "My heart pretty much stopped.

"Coach (Todd Parola) told me I had to get up and down to make it."

Unfortunately for Pierpont, his 80 was just 2 shots short of qualifying.

"Very (tough)," Pierpont said of the Oak Grove conditions. "Fast greens and a tough pace equal high scores."

But Pierpont did help make Mundelein history with Ben Schroeder (82), Pat McGrath (87), Andrew Adamsick (87), Jack Walliser (90) and Phil Senour (97).

"It was sweet," Pierpont said of the Mustangs' first sectional team berth. "We've played well all season.

"Right before the regional we shot pretty bad a couple of times but we hung together."

Warren junior and regional champion Taylor Furmanski shot 82 and Stevenson's Joe Pellettiere shot 83. Albert Gehrke shot 83 to lead Carmel's five individual qualifiers and Michael Reynolds of Grayslake Central shot 87.

Jason Batliner shot 81 and Ryan Quinn and Kyle Schweizer shot 84s to help Barrington to its second straight state trip.

"You come to these things trying to advance to state," Frankenberg said. "This is the frosting on top of the cake."

John Boyle and Drew Kenning shot 78s for Lake Forest, which took third in state the last two years after winning a title in 2004.

But it had to count one of its two 92s and also had a 94. Cary-Grove had its top four between 80 and 84 and a tiebreaking score of 90.