Home-course advantage: QND boys golf team navigates Westview with precision in winning WCC championship

QUINCY — The weather-related damage to Arrowhead Heights Golf Course that forced the West Central Conference boys golf tournament to be moved to Westview Golf Course proved to be a boon for Quincy Notre Dame.

It was an unfortunate circumstance for everyone else.

The Raiders took advantage of playing their home course Wednesday, posting five of the top 10 individual scores and shooting a blistering 291 to win the league title. Illini West was second with a 327 and Rushville-Industry was third with a 340.

“I was kind of excited about it, to be honest,” QND senior Colin Larson said. “I never play well at Arrowhead. I’ve only played it two or three times. We play this course multiple times per week, so we’re comfortable.”

That enabled Larson and Cole Willer to flip the lineup.

Willer, a senior playing the No. 5 spot in the six-golfer lineup, broke par for the first time in his career at Westview, birdieing the final two holes to shoot a 1-under 70 and earn medalist honors. Larson, playing at No. 3, stayed steady throughout and shot an even-par 71 to finish as the runner-up.

“I was pretty impressed with how I played today,” said Willer, who shot a 1-over 72 in the season-opening D.A. Weibring Invitational at Westview. “I played pretty well. There were a couple of errors here and there, but otherwise, it was great.”

The key to his round was rather simple.

“Keeping the ball in play and giving myself scoring opportunities,” Willer said.

He never changed that approach, not even when he reached the par-5 17th hole needing two birdies or an eagle to break par.

“I was just trying to go par, par,” said Willer, who made a 5-footer for birdie on No. 17 and a 7-footer on the par-4 18th. “But I got those birdies.”

It immediately had QND coach Brian Hendrian and others doing some quick mental math to see what was needed for the Raiders to break 300.

Freshman Beau Eftink posted a 4-over 75, which ended up tying him for third, and Larson followed with his 71.

“I just put it all together,” Larson said. “In the past couple of weeks, I know I’ve been playing well, and I know I’ve had a pretty good season. It seems like everyday there’s just one thing that goes wrong. It’s typical golf.

“But today I just put it all together. My drives were good. I was actually putting really well. I was hitting a lot of greens. It all just came together. And I felt I played it smart today, too.”

That was crucial with clouds continually dashing splashes of sunlight and winds increasing from steady to blustery at times.

“I hit the ball pretty high, so that really affects it,” Larson said. “You can only play with the conditions on the course. All you do is take a little more time between each shot and think how the wind is going to affect it. I felt like I did that well today.”

So did others. QND’s Konnor Craven shot a 4-over 75 to tie for third, while Ross Thompson shot a 77 to tie for fifth.

“It’s very important that we start getting our stuff back together,” Willer said. “We need to be shooting great scores, especially going into regional and sectional with how tough those are.”

Illini West’s Nolan Deitrich shot a 77 to tie Thompson, while the Chargers’ Colby Robertson shot a 79 to tie for seventh with Liberty’s Blake Arnold. Rushville-Industry’s Bennett Fretueg and Hayden Moon tied for ninth with Unity’s Dennis Boccardi as they all posted 83s.

The postseason begins next week with Illini West separating itself as the team to beat in the Class 1A West Hancock Regional, being played next Wednesday at Deer Run Golf Course in Hamilton. QND will play in the Class 2A Maroa-Forsyth Regional at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth.

“It seems like every year this team turns it on right around this time,” Larson said. “Right around conference time, we tend to pick it up. I’m liking how things are looking for us right, and I’m liking what’s ahead.”