Golf: Benet’s boys team, freshman girl Audrey Wake take second at Metea Valley Invitational

AURORA – Metea Valley continued its winning ways on a neighborhood golf course on Monday afternoon.

For the members of the Neuqua Valley girls golf team in general and senior standout Sarah Zheng in particular, winning an invitational is becoming second nature.

At the inaugural Mustang Invitational at Stonebridge Country Club in Aurora, the top male golfers in the field navigated the treacherous greens routinely associated with a private club.

Arjun Vyas, the Mustangs’ senior leader, was one of six players threatening par in leading Metea Valley to the six-team title with a 309-311 triumph over Benet.

Kyle Bucher, a club member, backed up Vyas’ 1-over 73 with a personal-best 74 to lead the Mustangs’ latest team title.

Zheng, meanwhile, was one of only two girls to break 80 with a masterful 73 — despite bogeys on her final three holes — in gaining medalist honors during the Wildcats’ comfortable 331-363 victory over Naperville North.

It was the fourth consecutive championship for Neuqua Valley at a multi-team tournament.

“I think it really helped taking certain lines on the course,” said Vyas, a Stonebridge resident but not a member of the club. “I knew what sides to miss on.”

“I played exceptionally well,” Bucher said. “I was feeling confident going at pins. It was one of my top-five rounds this summer.”

Benet also had twin anchor scores behind Charlie Davenport, third with a level-par 72 and the 74 authored by senior Ryan Dannegger, but the Mustangs prevailed behind the matching 81s from Aman Shah and Eli Oakes for their third and fourth scores.

“I didn’t know anything about the course,” said Davenport, one of the top freshmen in the area. “My ball striking was best today. I hit 17 greens (in regulation) and 11 fairways.”

Waubonsie Valley edged Neuqua Valley for third, 314-319, as the former had Salil Khanduja and Neil Gupta combine for a 150 with respective rounds of 74 and 76.

But the Wildcats’ Mason Dentzman was even better as the senior was in the red with a 1-under 71 to finish runner-up to Marmion senior Charlie Burke.

“It was a pleasure to make a birdie on my last hole,” Dentzman said. “I made a good fist pump after that. My putter was hot. My short game saved me today.”

In the girls division, Zheng had a torrid start with birdies on three of her first five holes.

As the senior neared her finish, she was still smoldering at the very least.

“I was three under going into my last five holes,” Zheng said. “I struggled a little on the back.”

Zheng still held off promising Benet freshman Audrey Wake, who was second with a 77, by four shots.

“I was definitely disappointed with my finish, but I like the way my game is trending,” Zheng said.

“Significantly faster,” Wake said of the Stonebridge greens compared to her customary venues. “(The firmness) was nice because some of your shots would roll out and it would get them to the pin. I sank a lot of putts.”

Metea Valley (367), Benet (374), Waubonsie Valley (408) and Naperville Central (434) rounded out the girls field.

Like Zheng, Burke also left the course thinking about back-to-back bogeys down the stretch.

But the Batavia resident was still the shining star for Marmion with his medalist round of 2-under 70.

Burke, like several of his fellow competitors, raved about the immaculate greens at Stonebridge.

“They were rolling pretty pure and slick out there,” Burke said. “I like that. I felt like I played smart golf off the tee. I took the penalties out of play. I just went for the middle of the green. I tried to give the putt a good pace. I made all the come-backers.”

The Cadets were fifth at 320, one shot behind Neuqua Valley, as freshman Regan Konen fired an 81.

Jude Bohr and Dominic Howard completed the Marmion scoring foursome with an 83 and 86.

West Aurora was sixth as Kyle Haynes was the low man with a 90.

Andrew Bacarella (95), Evan Wicks (96) and Gracin Bacarella (97) also contributed for the Blackhawks.

“It was a very nice club, (but) I couldn’t hit the fairways too well,” Haynes said. “If you could match the speed with the undulation of the greens you were doing great.”