WEST DUNDEE – Coming off of one of the most successful seasons in school history, Crystal Lake South entered Thursday's Fox Valley Conference Boys Golf Tournament on a high.

For the second year in a row, the Gators completed a perfect conference season, shooting a season-low 296 at Randall Oaks and winning the FVC Tournament by 21 shots over runner-up Prairie Ridge (317).

Jacobs (327) placed third, Crystal Lake Central (331) took fourth, and Cary-Grove (333) was fifth. McHenry had a 338, Huntley and Dundee-Crown each had a 341, Burlington Central had a 345, and Hampshire had a 355.

South, which went to the Class 2A state tournament last season, went 9-0 in FVC duals during the regular season.

"It feels amazing," said senior John Lishchynsky, who was second with a 1-over-par 72 and finished as the FVC champion in overall points. "Losing two seniors, we managed to keep it up. We're all pretty confident after today."

The Gators took three of the top four spots and placed five in the top 11. Junior Will Stewart earned medalist honors with a 1-under 70, including four birdies. He started with bogeys on two of his first three holes but was 3 under on the next 11.

After a bogey on the par-5 15th put Stewart back to even, he birdied the par-3 17th to move to 1 under.

"Shooting 296 is nice. It was good to see that," Stewart said. "We were on fire today. I think a lot of our hard work started to come into play. It's a tribute to last year, too. I think we're just as good, if not better.

"We'll see how we finish. Conference doesn't mean a lot unless you finish in the postseason."

South's golfers recorded four of the nine scores in the 70s on Thursday. Ricky Falbo had a 75, taking fourth, and Tanner Coakley had a 79 to finish ninth.

McHenry senior Truman Keppy had a 73 to place third. Keppy, a state qualifier the past two years, was 11th at last year's FVC Tournament. He almost eagled the par-5 fifth but lipped out his putt after bombing a 200-yard shot with a 6-iron.

"It was fun," said Keppy, who made four birdies. "My dad and my coaches were really helping me out there today. I'm feeling good. The time is now, so you just have to keep playing good golf and stay confident."

Prairie Ridge's Eddie Winkelmann tied for fifth and was one of four golfers with a 76, along with Crystal Lake Central's Eric Klutke, Burlington Central's Tyson Malak and Jacobs' Andrew Rechtsteiner.

Winkelmann was encouraged by his teammates' finish going into Monday's regionals. The Wolves were third at last year's FVC Tournament.

"That's a really good finish today," Winkelmann said. "That's one of our lowest rounds as a team."

Also finishing in the top 20 were D-C's Yash Dulla (80), South's Jack Roberts (80) and Ethan Wiggs (81), Prairie Ridge's Bailey Lazar (80), Grant Klepitsch (80) and Connor Hamilton (81), C-G's Nate Jablonski (81) and Trevor Beaugureau (81), Jacobs' Jordan Stone (81), and Crystal Lake Central's Bayden Hubacher (82) and Quinn Hankins (83).

Huntley was led by Danny Sheedy (83), and Hampshire was led by CJ Lindquist (84).

STAR OF THE MEET

Will Stewart, Crystal Lake South, jr.

Stewart shot a 1-under-par 70, sinking four birdies, for medalist honors.

THE NUMBER

9: Golfers to shoot in the 70s Thursday (out of 70).

AND ANOTHER THING … 

All of the past five FVC champions have completed perfect conference seasons. South has done it in back-to-back years.

Fox Valley Conference Boys Golf Tournament

at Randall Oaks, par 71

Medalist: Will Stewart (Crystal Lake South) 70

Team scores: 1. Crystal Lake South 296, 2. Prairie Ridge 317, 3. Jacobs 327, 4. Crystal Lake Central 331, 5. Cary-Grove 333, 6. McHenry 338, 7(t). Huntley, Dundee-Crown 341, 9. Burlington Central 345, 10. Hampshire 355

Top-20 finishers: 1. Will Stewart (CLS) 70, 2. John Lishchynsky (CLS) 72, 3. Truman Keppy (McH) 73, 4. Ricky Falbo (CLS) 75, 5. Eric Klutke (CLC) 76, 6. Tyson Malak (BC) 76, 7. Eddie Winkelmann (PR) 76, 8. Andrew Rechtsteiner (Jac) 76, 9. Tanner Coakley (CLS) 79, 10. Yash Dulla (DC) 80, 11. Jack Roberts (CLS) 80 12. Bailey Lazar (PR) 80, 13. Grant Klepitsch (PR) 80, 14. Ethan Wiggs (CLS) 81, 15. Nate Jablonski (CG) 81, 16. Trevor Beaugureau (CG) 81, 17. Connor Hamilton (PR) 81, 18. Jordan Stone (Jac) 81, 19. Bayden Hubacher (CLC) 82, 20. Quinn Hankins (CLC) 83

All-Conference: John Lishchynsky (CLS), Truman Keppy (McH), Will Stewart (CLS), Eric Klutke (CLC), Tyson Malak (BC), Eddie Winkelmann (PR), Ricky Falbo (CLS), Grant Klepitsch (PR), Matt McQuillen (DC), Jordan Stone (Jac), Andrew Rechtsteiner (Jac), Bailey Lazar (PR), Tyler DiDomenico (BC), Trevor Beaugureau (CG), Jack Roberts (CLS), Yash Dulla (DC), Michael Greenhill (CG)

Crystal Lake South (296): Stewart 70, Lishchynsky 72, Falbo 75, Coakley 79

Prairie Ridge (317): Winkelmann 76, Lazar 80, Klepitsch 80, Hamilton 81

Jacobs (327): Rechtsteiner 76, Stone 81, Seaholm 85, Frantik 85

Crystal Lake Central (331): Klutke 76, Hubacher 82, Hankins 83, Hooper 90

Cary-Grove (333): Jablonski 81, Beaugureau 81, Greenhill 83, Vitullo 88

McHenry (338):  Keppy 73, Nielsen 85, Huff 89, McCormick 91

Huntley (341): Sheedy 83, Book 83, Good 86, Modrich 89

Dundee-Crown (341): Dulla 80, McQuillen 85, Huber 87, Zirlin 89

Burlington Central (345): Malak 76, DiDomenico 83, Rutke 89, Lowe 97

Hampshire (355): Lindquist 84, Korabik 86, Laube 92, Stephenson 93