Boys Golf: North Shore Wins Sectional Championship, Sets Sights on State Title

assistant golf coach Jay Bach says all six of the team’s varsity golfers are good students. But every one of them will be more than happy to miss school on Thursday and Friday.

Led by junior Nick McCall’s 76, North Shore combined to shoot 320 at Park Hills West Golf Course in Freeport, tying Aquin Catholic as co-champions of the Class 1A Freeport Sectional on Monday.

“They were excited and kind of watching the scoreboard there because we finished ahead of some others,” Bach said. “We saw things coming in and we knew that we were definitely going to be in the top three.”

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By finishing in the top three, North Shore advanced as a team to the state championships this weekend at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington. Last year, McCall was the only North Shore golfer to compete at the state tournament, qualifying as an individual and finishing in a tie for 26th as a sophomore.

But this season, North Shore’s other golfers were the difference-makers. Freshman Andrew Blechman (80), sophomore Will Skinner (81) and junior David Blechman (83) all figured in the scoring for the Raiders while senior Ben Goren (90) and junior Andrew Bedford (85) will also compete down state.

“We had a couple guys step up who really hadn’t figure in the scoring in a couple other matches,” Bach said. “If they had gone to a fifth golfer, we would have won it outright.”

The Raiders headed down to Bloomington for a practice round on Thursday before competing in the two-day tournament that covers 36 holes on Friday and Saturday.

Bach says North Shore will have to be mentally tough throughout the entire tournament since most regular-season matches are played on nine holes and the regional and sectional championships only included 18.

Having already accomplished their original season goal of getting down to the state tournament, the Raiders now have their sights set on making school history. The Raiders finished in fourth place as a team two seasons ago and only two teams come into this year’s state tournament with a better sectional score than North Shore.

“I think the kids would love to win it,” Bach said. “I don’t think you want to have a goal of finishing second or third, you want to go for it down there and I think the kids are confident enough. If they can stay cool about things and not let their emotions get to them, they can come home with a trophy.”

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