Placing three golfers among top four individually powers Illini West to Class 1A regional title

HAMILTON, Ill. — The nuances of Deer Run Golf Course made the Class 1A West Hancock Regional quite a challenge Wednesday.

Nolan Deitrich and the Illini West boys golf team navigated it the best.

Dietrich, a senior, birdied the par-3 18th hole to shoot an 81 and clip Liberty’s Blake Arnold by one stroke for medalist honors and push the Chargers to the team title. Illini West had three of the top four golfers on the individual leaderboard and posted a 345 team score.

Rushville-Industry was second at 356 and North Fulton finished third at 376.

All three teams advance to the Class 1A Illini Central Sectional next Monday at Country Hills Golf Course in Greenview.

Illini West junior Colby Robertson finished third with an 83 and sophomore Nick Bruns was fourth with an 84. Freshman Wesley Robertson rounded out the scoring with a 97.

Arnold played the front nine in 1-over 37, but a quadruple bogey on No. 10 derailed his back nine and he finished at 10-over. Still, he was one of 10 individual golfers to advance to the sectional.

Among the others were Central’s Dean Hibbert (89), Brown County’s Sam Carr (90), Unity’s Dennis Boccardi (91), West Hancock’s Brayson Smeltser (92), Liberty’s Gavin Fessler (95), Brown County’s Rioth Wort (95) and Central’s Joey Boehler (95).

At the Class 1A Jacksonville Routt Regional, Pittsfield missed advancing to sectionals by one stroke. The Saukees posted a 342 team score, while Petersburg PORTS (329), Williamsville (332) and Waverly (341) each advanced.

The Saukees are sending three individuals to the sectional — Jameson Noble, who tied for sixth with an 81, as well as Abe Welbourne (82) and Nolan Daniel (85).