Boys golf: Lemont’s Joey Scott edges older brother Eddie for Providence Invite title

NEW LENOX - When brothers Joey and Eddie Scott walked toward the 10th tee at The Sanctuary on Saturday, the Lemont standouts were the only golfers left competing.

It was just like a million other times the pair had played a hole together. Except this time, a championship was on the line. The brothers were in a playoff for the Providence Catholic Invitational individual title.

“It’s more nerverwracking than when we play at home, but it still just felt like we were at our home course playing each other,” Joey Scott said.

Joey, a sophomore, got the better of his older brother this time. After both shot four-under 68s, Joey Scott came up with a par on the playoff hole, while Eddie — a senior — bogeyed.

“It feels great to win it,” Joey Scott said. “I’m going to give (Eddie) a lot of grief over this. He’s going to hear it for a long time.”

The Scott brothers led Lemont to a dominant team championship in the 28-team event. Lemont finished with a score of 289, 13 strokes better than Lincoln-Way East and Wheaton Academy, who tied for second. Lockport and Pleasant Valley tied for fourth at 306.

Robert Politza tied for seventh with a 73 for Lemont, while Matthew Devoy rounded out the team score with an 80. It was the second championship in as many days for Lemont, which won its own invite Friday.

“It’s awesome,” Eddie Scott said. “We’re getting hot at the right time, and I hope we can keep it going for state and everything. It’s good to see that we can make it happen.”

Eddie Scott led his younger brother by two strokes with three holes to goal, but Joey Scott rallied with birdies on 16, 17 and 18.

“On 16, I knew I’d have a little wedge in, and I knew I could get a stroke there,” Joey Scott said. “Seventeen is a par-five, and I hit a really good drive to set me up there. The 18th is a really tough drive, but I hit a good wedge in and was able to make a birdie there.”

Eddie Scott was checking scores all along and knew his brother was coming at him.

“He told me early in the round that he was going to take a charge at me,” Eddie Scott said of Joey. “He says that a lot, but I think he meant it this time. When I kept seeing him making birdies, it gave me a little fuel and a little motivation, but definitely a little pressure, too.”

The brothers are accustomed to giving each other that extra push.

“Being brothers and all is kind of what makes us better,” Eddie Scott said. “Having someone to compete with every day helps us get better. It’s fun always having someone to compete with.”

Lockport’s Nathan Kwiatkowski, Providence’s Dylan Mott and Wheaton Academy’s Owen Coniaris tied for third, shooting 71s.

“I played pretty decent,” Kwiatkowski said. “I had a few mishaps here and there, but I played through it and made it work for me. Iron play and my play on the greens was on the spot. The struggle today was mainly with my drives.”

Mott was proud he was able to push his way through an up-and-down day and come out with a good score.

“I thought it went pretty well,” Mott said. “I had some bad holes, but I was able to come back and finish strong. If I have a bad hole, I try to stay calm and just try to make par on the next one, and if I make birdie, that’s even better.”

Lincoln-Way East’s Tanner Leonard (73) tied for seventh, and Lincoln-Way West’s Max Mzhickteno (75) tied for 15th. The Griffins’ Carmine Mocchio and Liam Shannon and Lockport’s Braeden Deblecourt (76) all tied for 17th.

In the team race, Joliet Township (313) was eighth, Providence (314) ninth, Lincoln-Way Central (321) 15th, Lincoln-Way West (333) 19th and Joliet Catholic 26th.

The day, though, belonged to the Scott brothers. Joey has bragging rights for now.

“I really wanted to beat him,” Eddie Scott said. “I’ll get him back next time, for sure.”