Area teams, players face stiff regional tests.(Sports) - Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)

Byline: John Radtke Daily Herald Sports Writer

Fox Valley area boys and girls golf teams and individuals will face stiff tests today and Wednesday as they attempt to advance from regional to sectional play.

Boys regionals around the state for Class AA and Class A are scheduled for today and girls regionals on Wednesday. Girls golf does not split classes.

In the boys Class AA tournament, the top four teams and the top eight individuals not on a qualifying team advance to next Tuesday's sectional round. In Class A and girls, the top three teams and eight individuals advance.

Here's a look at regionals including area teams.

At Larkin: The Highlands of Elgin and its 6,707 yard, par-71 layout plays host to its first regional tournament today when 17 teams tee off in what Larkin coach Tim Jones says is, 'probably the toughest regional in the state.'

And Jones can provide plenty of numbers to back that statement up.

Leading the field, and the hottest team around right now, is St. Charles East. The Saints shot a 302 to win the Upstate Eight Conference meet at St. Andrews last week and then on Saturday shot a 303 to win the Lake Park Invitational at Indian Lakes.

The Saints, who have won four state championships in boys golf and 12 regional championships, the last in 1999, had all six of their players break 80 in the UEC meet, led by a 73 from D.J. Magee and 76s from Alex Wagner and Nick Edwards.

But St. Charles East won't walk through the regional. UEC rival Bartlett, with Pat Chin and Tim Kay leading the way, could present a threat.

The Hawks, third in the UEC overall after going 9-1 in duals, finished second after a fifth score tiebreaker Saturday at the Crystal Lake South Invitational at Red Tail. In the process, Bartlett shot a school record 297 and Chin, who was third at the UEC meet with a 74, shot a 68 to win the tournament.

Three top DuPage County teams are in the field as well.

Glenbard West is extremely talented but has struggled with consistency. The Hilltoppers will also have to overcome postseason futility in recent years and the loss of their coach. Last year, after winning every regular-season dual meet and tournament it played in, Glenbard West finished eighth in regional play.

Additionally, Hilltoppers' coach Greg Marthaler mysteriously left his teaching and coaching jobs last week.

Buddy Wilkins is Glenbard West's top player and will tee off in a 9 a.m. group from No. 1 that includes Geneva's Chris Reading, Larkin's Carlos Sainz and Kaneland's Milo French.

Wheaton Warrenville South is a very dangerous team as well and is led by Jack Alley, Drew Delaney and Ty Luther. Wheaton North has also played well at times this season and is led by senior Tom Hunt, one of the better players in the DuPage Valley Conference.

Other area players who have a good chance to advance include Elgin's Chris Schultz, Streamwood's Randy Abraham and Larkin's Sainz, as well as St. Charles North's Sean Courser.

The Larkin regional qualifiers advance to the Hersey sectional at Old Orchard to join regional qualifiers from Antioch and Barrington.

At Prairie Ridge: Ten of the 16 teams at Prairie Isle today are from the Fox Valley Conference. Only Grayslake from the FVC is in a different regional (Antioch). The field at Prairie Isle also includes DeKalb and Upstate Eight individual champion Sean Pazin, who shot a 69 at St. Andrews last week.

Crystal Lake Central and top player Marcus Kivisto come into the regional on the heels of winning the FVC championship last week as well as beating out Bartlett on a fifth card tie-breaker at the Crystal Lake South Invitational Saturday.

Crystal Lake South, led by Matt Lane and Joe Bottalla, took second at last week's FVC meet while Jacobs, led by Tyler Wedell, Drew Chuipek and Bob Mertel, finished third in the FVC.

Cary-Grove's Kevin Emmerich, who shot a 72 to tie Kivisto at the FVC meet but lost the championship on a scorecard tie-breaker, could figure in the individual advancers, as could Prairie Ridge's Aaron Zander, who was fourth at the FVC meet.

Dundee-Crown's Alex Warner, ninth at the FVC meet, is also capable of putting up a good score.

The other non-Fox Valley area schools at Prairie Isle today include Grant, Johnsburg, Lake Zurich, Palatine and Wauconda.

The qualifiers out of this regional advance to the Palatine sectional at Palatine Hills and will join regional qualifiers from Freeport and Glenbrook South.

Class A at Somonauk: All area Class A teams are part of the 13- team field at Edgebrook in Sandwich today.

Burlington Central's individual chances lie mainly with Ryan Bowen and Eddie Olewinski while St. Edward's Mike Roy also stands a good chance to advance.

Aurora Christian, Aurora Central, Elgin Academy, Genoa-Kingston, Hampshire, Plano, Sandwich, Indian Creek, Somonauk, Wheaton Academy and St. Francis all join the Rockets and Green Wave in the field.

The regional qualifiers from today's play advance to the Galena sectional at the Galena Golf Club to join regional qualifiers from Driscoll, Pecatonica and Rock Falls.

Girls: While Burlington Central and Hampshire head to the Marengo regional at Marengo Ridge Wednesday, the remainder of the Fox Valley area will be in the tough Schaumburg regional at Schaumburg Golf Club. The area's best chances to advance lie with Larkin's Jill Schneider and the St. Charles North and East teams, including individual stars Lauren May and Kelly Calkin.

The Schaumburg regional feeds to next week's Deerfield sectional.

Burlington Central junior Bobbi Lamothe stands a good chance to advance from the Marengo field. If she does, she would play her sectional round at Lake Bracken Country Club in Galesburg.

Daily Herald Correspondent Kevin McGavin contributed.