Boys golf: Crystal Lake Central’s Eric Klutke wins 2nd straight regional title

MARENGO – Crystal Lake Central’s Eric Klutke wasn’t satisfied with his scores going into the postseason.

His performance Wednesday was much more to his liking.

For the second year in a row, Klutke fired the best score at regionals, posting a 1-over-par 73 at Marengo Ridge to win the Class 2A Marengo Regional individual championship and lead Central back to sectionals.

Boylan’s Cooper Watt was one shot behind Klutke with a 74 and helped the Titans win the team title by three shots. Boylan won with a 315, Central was second with a 318 and Prairie Ridge took the third and last qualifying spot with a 332.

Klutke’s start Wednesday wasn’t encouraging, as the Tigers senior started with a double bogey on the first hole and had back-to-back bogeys on 3 and 4 to move to 4-over. The lefty turned his day around with birdies on Nos. 5 and 6 and 10.

Klutke got to even par with a birdie on No. 14 before bogeying 17 and just missing his birdie putt on 18.

Klutke said he wasn’t discouraged by his slow start, but knew he needed to make a quick adjustment.

“I usually just think one shot at a time, and that helps me get over a bad shot,” said Klutke, last season’s Northwest Herald Boys Golfer of the Year. “Once I got one birdie to go in, I started getting momentum. I just started stepping up and hitting it.

“I’m excited that I’m starting to play better at the right time.”

Klutke’s teammate, senior Bayden Hubacher, tied for third with a 76. Christian Wakeford tied for seventh with an 80 and Ethan Bass tallied an 89 to round out the scoring for the Tigers. Central was going for its second straight regional title.

Klutke still thinks the Tigers have a good shot to advance to state when they compete Monday at the Sycamore Sectional at Kishwaukee Country Club in DeKalb. There was no state tournament last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Klutke would have advanced to state last season after placing runner-up at sectionals. He qualified for state as a sophomore and took ninth in Class 3A. Central moved down to 2A this year.

“If we can make it to state, that would be a lot of fun for our senior year,” Klutke said. “I was bummed out not having state last year but I also gained experience and know I can make it, so I was happy about that.”

Prairie Ridge was led by senior Jake Friedman with an 80. Charlie Pettrone (83), Danny Saville (84) and Joe Pokonosky (85) rounded out the scoring for the Wolves.

Friedman might not be playing golf right now if not for his friend and teammate, Jake Cunningham, who encouraged him to play as something to do for fun during the pandemic. Friedman has seen his scores fall in a hurry.

“It’s pretty cool, because it’s only my second year,” Friedman said. “I started playing with [Cunningham] during quarantine and it just kind of stuck with me. I practiced a lot and kept going with it. I’ve improved quite a bit. In the beginning, I was probably in the 100s. Now I can shoot 70s.”

Crystal Lake South’s Nate Stewart tied Hubacher for third place with a 76 to move on and will be joined by teammate Bryce Sturm (89), a senior, next week.

Stewart had some nerves to work out before his round Wednesday after the Gators junior hurt his back at last year’s regional tournament, also at Marengo Ridge. That caused his scores to be considerably higher.

“My irons were really good. I was playing it really safe out there,” said Stewart, who made par on 15 holes. “I was actually kind of nervous on [No. 2] because that’s where it happened. Bad memories when I got on that fairway, but I had a good drive, good second shot and two-putt for par.

“My goal is to make it to state. I’m going to really focus and work hard, and hopefully I can make it.”

Marian Central freshman Finn Pivnicka had the lowest 18-hole round of his life with a 79, placing sixth, and will be joined by teammates Peter Louise (88), also a freshman, and Owen Jager (90), a senior, at next week’s sectionals.

Pivnicka’s previous low was an 87.

“It just feels amazing. I just played it smart today,” Pivnicka said. “The swing was feeling good. I was really confident. I’m just happy that I’m competing with some of the upperclassmen out here and playing longer and stuff. I’m happy to be up there with them.”

Harvard’s Myles Brincks (89) also qualified for sectionals after knocking in a par on his final hole to avoid a potential playoff.

Marian Central finished fourth with a 348, Crystal Lake South (356) was sixth, Harvard (394) was eighth and Marengo (409) was ninth.

Class 2A Marengo Boys Golf Regional

at Marengo Ridge, par 72

Medalist: Eric Klutke (CLC) 73

Team scores (top three advance): 1. Boylan 315, 2. Crystal Lake Central 318, 3. Prairie Ridge 332, 4. Marian Central 348, 5. Belvidere North 350, 6. Crystal Lake South 356, 7. Belvidere 371, 8. Harvard 394, 9. Marengo 409

Top-10 individuals: 1. Eric Klutke (CLC) 73, 2. Cooper Watt (BOY) 74, T3. Nate Stewart (CLS), Bayden Hubacher (CLC) 76, 5. Nolan Brauns (BOY) 78, 6. Finn Pivnicka (MC) 79, T7. Blake Szymanski (BOY), Jake Friedman (PR), Christian Wakeford (80), 10. Alex Sippy (BN) 82

Top-10 advancing individuals (not on advancing teams): 1. Nate Stewart (CLS) 76, 2. Finn Pivnicka (MC) 79, 3. Alex Sippy (BN) 82, 4. Carson Rowe (BN) 85, 5. Peter Louise (MC) 88, 6. David Bertolasi (Blv), 7. Myles Brincks (Hvd) 89, 8. Bryce Sturm (CLS) 89, 9. Owen Jager (MC) 90, 10. Benjamin Leake (BN 90)

Local scores

Crystal Lake Central (318): Eric Klutke 73, Bayden Hubacher 76, Christian Wakeford 80, Ethan Bass 89

Prairie Ridge (332): Jake Friedman 80, Charlie Pettrone 83, Danny Saville 84, Joe Pokonosky 85

Marian Central (348): Finn Pivnicka 79, Peter Louise 88, Owen Jager 90, Declan Pivnicka 91

Crystal Lake South (356): Nate Stewart 76, Bryce Sturm 89, Shane Hall 92, William Hough 99

Harvard (394): Myles Brincks 89, Caden Scott 100, Aaron Saucedo 101, Justin Lehman 104

Marengo (409): Sean Ettner 94, Riley Weiss 103, Nicholas Walter 106, Dylan Erbstoesser 106