‘Nail-biting scenario’: QND boys golf team sweats out tense finish, advances to Class 2A sectionals

FORSYTH, Ill. — The Quincy Notre Dame boys golfers realized circumstances seemed bleak.

“We didn’t have a hot front nine,” senior Colin Larson said following Wednesday’s Class 2A Maroa-Forsyth Regional at Hickory Point Golf Course. “We definitely did not start off strong. On or about the 12th or 13th hole, we were four shots back sitting in fourth place.

“We knew the team in third place was playing the easier nine. So it felt like we were on the outside looking in for a long time.”

Yet, when Maroa-Forsyth’s Grant Reid and Tyler Davis came down the closing stretch, the Raiders and Trojans had flipped positions. QND had posted a 311 team total and was sitting in third with the top three squads advancing to next Monday’s sectional at Coyote Creek Golf Course in Bartonville.

One stroke behind was Maroa, which needed birdies from Reid and Davis to advance.

“We were all gathered around the green hoping (Maroa-Forsyth) didn’t pull off something great, catch lightning in a bottle and take it home,” QND senior Ross Thompson said. “Even if we had tied, we would have won on the fifth score. Still, it was a nail-biting scenario that we all kind of sat, hoped and waited for it to finish.”

It ended with Reid and Davis both making par on No. 9 — their final hole — and the Raiders making plans to play Monday.

“We just kind of grinded it out, and we got in,” Larson said. “It was awesome.”

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin won the regional title with a 301 and four scores in the 70s. Springfield was second at 308 and QND third at 311. All three were better scores than the champions of the three other regionals feeding into the Bartonville Limestone Sectional.

“Like our coach said, today was all about living to play another day,” Larson said. “We did that.”

A sense of relief accompanied that, as did the need to celebrate.

“Once the round’s done, once pictures are over, once you’re back on the bus, then you celebrate and you have a good time,” Thompson said.

Thompson led QND’s back nine charge, shooting an even-par 36, offsetting two bogeys with two birdies and showing his teammates how to grind. He finished at 4-over 76 in ninth place.

Larson shot a 5-over 77 and tied for 10th, while Konnor Craven and Zane Douglas each shot a 7-over 79.

“We proved we can get by with not our best golf,” Larson said. “We can go out and have two or three guys who just aren’t having an on day, and we can still shoot a good number. We shot a 311, and that isn’t breaking any records. But it’s a good score for how we were playing.”

The ability to grind and find a way to advance comes with having been there before.

Five of QND’s top six golfers were part of the team that advanced through regionals last season, and Thompson played on the 2019 team that finished second in state.

“You have to take advantage of every moment,” Thompson said. “Just like we saw today, it comes down to every last shot. You can have a bad shot, but then your next shot has to be the best of the day to recover from it. No matter where you’re at, one shot can make the difference for the whole round.”

By doing that, the Raiders were able to breathe easier at the end of the day.

“Part of you is relieved to be done because it was a very, very stressful round,” Larson said. “Halfway through, it wasn’t looking good for us, but we just fought back little by little. I think towards the end we were just relieved, but there were a lot of smiles going around.

“It’s a new day starting Monday.”