April 26, 2025
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Herald-News Boys Golf Notebook: Minooka ends regional title drought

By Rob Oesterle
Minooka's TJ Quinn tees off during the Ottawa Pirate Invitational golf meet on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, at Deer Park Golf Course in Oglesby.

Minooka's TJ Quinn won the individual title at the Class 3A Lockport Regional, leading his team to its first regional title since 2002. (Scott Anderson)

As Tom Petty once said, the waiting is the hardest part.

In 2002, Minooka’s boys golf team won a regional championship. It was the Indians’ second title in a row and they were riding high.

Then, they didn’t win another one for 21 years.

The wait is over, as Minooka claimed the championship at Wednesday’s Class 3A Lockport Regional held at The Creek in Morris. Senior TJ Quinn won the individual title as well, shooting 2-under par 69 to claim the crown.

“We have a super solid team,” said Minooka coach Jeff Petrovic, who has won 11 regional baseball titles. “It starts at the top, and it helps when you have a player like TJ, who shoots par or better almost every day. But, we also have our other guys who are consistently in the 70s.

“It’s a really good team, top to bottom.”

Minooka, which advances to Monday’s Decatur McArthur Sectional, supported Quinn with Keegan Reilly (76), Luke Purcell (78), Ethan Walsh (78), Gabe Ciesielski (81) and Michael Kuchar (83).

CLASS 3A

Minooka wasn’t the only area team to have success at the Lockport Regional. Lincoln-Way East finished second with a score of 310, while Lincoln-Way West was third with 313. The top three teams advance to the sectional, as well as the top 10 individuals not on advancing teams.

Lockport missed qualifying by one stroke, and saw Zachary Skrzypiec (71), Hayden Gusias (80) and Alex Hareza (80) advance as individuals.

At the Benet Academy Regional, Plainfield East’s Evan Orlet (81) was the lone area qualifier.

At the Moline Regional, Plainfield North finished second and advanced to Monday’s Oswego Sectional at Blackberry Oaks. Individuals qualifying were Plainfield South’s Jonah Powell (78) and Plainfield Central’s Anthony Zymali (80).

Lemont’s Joey Scott tees off the hole 1 in the Class 2A Lemont Golf Sectional at Wedgewood Golf Course in Plainfield on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023.

Lemont’s Joey Scott finished second at the Lemont Regional and helped his team advance to the Lemont Sectional. (Gary Middendorf/Gary Middendorf)

CLASS 2A

At the Coal City Regional, Morris finished fourth, just two strokes away from qualifying for Monday’s Champaign Centennial Sectional. Morris saw Braden Wickkiser (81), Liam Eber (83) and Brody Brandt (84) qualify as individuals. Coal City’s Jerry Carlson (84) and Reed-Custer’s Kyle Highland (89) also qualified for the sectional.

At the Lemont Regional, Providence Catholic won the title and Lemont finished third, so both teams advance to Monday’s Lemont Sectional at Wedgewood. The Celtics were led by Jonathan Scheinder and Alex Hartman with 77 each, while Lemont was paced by Joey Scott’s round of 74. Qualifying as individuals were Joliet Catholic Academy’s Quinn Swienton (79), Jackson Michaels (86) and Nick Egizio (86) as well as Peotone’s Joe Hasse (82).

CLASS 1A

At the Dwight Regional, Seneca won the team title, led by Keegan Murphy’s round of 81. The Fighting Irish advance to Monday’s Bismarck-Henning Sectional at Turtle Run. Also qualifying as individuals were Cole Boucher and Tracer Brown of Dwight, each with a round of 92, and Wilmington’s Caius Drown with a round of 93.

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