Boys golf: Hall’s Landen Plym, Marquette’s Carson Zellers heading to sectional again

PONTIAC – A few years ago, the IHSA started using a phone app that players used to input their hole scores, thus giving real-time standings when the postseason rolled around.

Hall junior Landen Plym was keeping a close eye on the results for himself, his teammates and his opponents during much of Wednesday’s Class 1A Woodland Regional at Wolf Creek Golf Club

When he reached the final hole, he knew he had a chance to win or at least force a playoff.

Unfortunately for Plym, a tough tee shot on No. 18 eventually had him settle for third place, but he still claimed a spot in Monday’s Sherrard Sectional at Fyre Lake Golf Club.

“I knew what I needed because I was looking at it nearly every hole to also see how our team was doing,” said Plym, who finished with a 4-over-par 76 and will be making his third straight trip to sectionals. “I really wanted to finish birdie-birdie, but maybe I put too much pressure on myself. The last hole [No. 18] my tee shot ended up leaving a second shot over a tree, and I just didn’t hit it hard enough to have a third shot chip instead of a putt.

“On the front, I birdied No. 8, which gave me confidence, then No. 9 I had a chip-in from about 30 feet for another birdie. I was pumped.”

El Paso-Gridley freshman Braden Hayes defeated Peoria Christian sophomore Drew Gama on the second playoff hole after each carded field-leading 75s.

EP-G captured the team title with a 337 ahead of fellow team advancers Peoria Christian (350) and Roanoke-Benson (352). Fieldcrest placed fourth with a 355, followed by St. Bede (358), Hall (359), Marquette (360), Henry-Senachwine (362), Midland (373), Putnam County (391) and Woodland (460).

Marquette senior Carson Zellers finished fourth with a 77, a number of shots better than he recorded at last week’s Tri-County Conference meet. He will be heading to sectionals for the fourth consecutive time.

“Better, a lot better,” said Zellers about his play from last time out. “Last week I struggled off the tee, then figured things out late in that round. Today I was really good off the tee, maybe didn’t hit every fairway, but I was hitting the ball where I wanted it to go and not putting myself in tough second shots.

“The final two holes I went birdie-birdie with a made 8-foot putt and a 15-foot putt, so it was a nice finish for sure.”

Fieldcrest junior Nathan Buchanan shot an 81, good for sixth place and his first trip to sectional.

“I played the front nine very well,” said Buchanan, who will have teammates Carter Senko and Connor Reichman with him after each shot an 89 to grab two of the last three remaining advancing spots. “I was even-par through five, then birdied six and was just 3-over at the turn. Then on the back nine I struggled with a couple of doubles but was able to keep things pretty steady the final few holes.

“My first two seasons I was stuck in the mid-90s or mid-40s, but this summer I went out and played five or six days a week. I think the extra play not only improved my game overall, but it also gave me confidence coming into this season knowing that I could accomplish things, like today, advancing to sectionals. I’m pretty excited.”

Henry-Senachwine sophomore Carson Rowe shot an 84 to finish ninth, while sophomore Jacob Miller placed 14th with an 88.

“To be honest, I really didn’t have any really good stretches today. ... I kind of struggled,” Rowe said. “I shot an 81 here last week in the conference tournament and didn’t play the final three holes very well. So (81) if not better is what I was hoping to shoot today, but it didn’t happen.

“I just have to come back next Monday and hopefully get off to a good start, get some confidence and get into a groove.”

St. Bede senior Luke Tunnell finished 11th with an 86, while junior teammate Abraham Wiesbrock had an 89 to place 16th. Both will move on to Monday’s sectional.