March 28, 2024
Sports - Kendall County


Sports

Boys Golf notes: Camden Bonney, Gavin Hjelle leading best Oswego East team ever

Deep, junior-heavy Wolves remain unbeaten in dual meets entering this week

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Camden Bonney and Gavin Hjelle met in school around the third grade, and both liked golf.

Their friendship, and games, took off from there.

Hjelle has been on Oswego East's varsity golf team since he was a freshman. Bonney also got a taste of varsity that year with an eye toward the future.

"We have been waiting for this year and our senior year for two years," said Bonney, like Hjelle a junior. "We just knew we would have two good seasons to finish it off."

It's been more than a good year.

With Bonney and Hjelle leading the way in a deep, junior-heavy, lineup, Oswego East is undefeated in duals and 9-0 in conference, with a big one this week against fellow unbeaten Plainfield North. Jim Vera, Wolves' head coach for going on a decade, didn't hesitate in calling this team the best in school history.

"We've had a couple good individuals here and there, kids qualify to go to state, but by just sheer numbers this is the lowest team average, the deepest team," Vera said. "I think last year our No. 5 golfer had a 47 [nine-hole] average. That is eighth or ninth-best this year. It's nice to have the depth."

Hjelle is averaging 38.3 per nine holes, with Bonney right behind at 38.79. Fellow junior Michael Hugelier is in at 40.7, Ryan Bowen 42, Brandon Alesia 43 and Isaac McCumber 44.3.

Earlier this month the Wolves shot a record team score of 151 in a dual win over Oswego at Fox Bend.

"Usually every year a goal is to shoot 165. We've been below that almost every single match," Vera said. "The kids are like 'What's the new goal' and I say 'just keep getting better.' When we got 151 I was done making goals."

Bonney, who was all-conference for the first time last year, said his game has been pretty consistent this year around the greens. He can get up and down when he needs to and makes putts when he has to.

It's a product of a summer full of golf, as Bonney, Hjelle and Hugelier routinely met for rounds.

"Right now, everything is coming together nice," Bonney said.

It's set up for a fun finish.

The Wolves play at the Minooka Invite, a mini version of the conference tournament, and host Plainfield North in a dual for the regular-season title this week. Next Tuesday is the conference tournament at Whitetail Ridge Golf Course.

"I don't want to put too much pressure on them," Vera said. "They're still juniors, as good as they are. It would be nice to beat Plainfield in the dual, but if I had my choice I would beat them in the tournament. I don't want to put much pressure on these guys. They're a well-oiled machine."

Yorkville's Waugh brothers on their game

Jonathan Waugh said he struggled with his game during the summer, but the Yorkville senior made some adjustments.

The results show.

Waugh, last year's conference MVP, has a 35.4 average for nine holes, 75.5 in two 18-hole events. Together with younger brother Ryan Waugh, a junior, Yorkville is 11-2 in duals, 8-2 in conference and won the Ottawa Invite.

"I feel I have picked it up and played well," Jonathan Waugh said.

Waugh identified his irons as what held him back this summer. He was hitting driver and his short game was good, but he wasn't hitting enough greens and was putting himself in bad spots. He made some big adjustments in his backswing to take it up higher, gained more speed and is more consistent.

"Now I'm hitting greens and making it easy on myself," Waugh said.

Waugh played in a Hurricane Junior Golf tour event this summer at the University of Kentucky, one of a number of out-of-state events he did while Illinois courses were shut down. He later played in the Illinois State Junior Amateur in August, a tough event for him, shortly before he made his adjustments.

"I feel I've been playing really well lately," Waugh said.

Ryan Waugh, meanwhile, has posted a 38.1 average for nine holes, 72 for 18. He shot a 68 to win the Plainfield North Invite.

Waugh feels he's striking the ball better this year, the putts have fallen and he has a little better focus.

"I'm a little more concentrated between shots, 100% focus," Waugh said. "I feel like it's making scores one shot lower than last year, which is good."

SPC Tournament next Tuesday

The Southwest Prairie Conference tournament is set to tee of at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, at Whitetail Ridge. The event is varsity-only this year, with each team's top eight golfers.