With an overall score of 296, junior Cole Bielecki led boys’ golf with his personal score, shooting a 68 at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 3A Sectional on October 2 to land the Knights in first place and place him first individually overall. The Knights won sectionals for the first time since 1975 and have qualified for state.
“Leading up to sectionals, I was excited and prepared,” Bielecki said. “I knew we had a good chance at not just advancing but also winning … My coach helped me prepare by making sure we had a practice round at the course and giving us lots of time to [prepare].”
The Knights were supported by seniors Luke Kruger (72), Patrick Raupp (77), Jack Krueger (79), Colter Person (80) and junior Matthew Mundt (81). Head coach James Hamann says that although only six boys compete in sectionals, the 10 other varsity members are essential for the team’s success.
“Everybody has their role on the team, and everybody was part of that championship yesterday,” Hamann said. “[The team] is very tight with each other. They push each other; they hang out with each other. The work ethic for this team is very impressive.”
Shooting under par, Bielecki was surprised to have the lowest overall score given the immense talent on the boys’ team. However, with the support of both his coaches and his teammates, Bielecki and his team were able to pull off the win.
“My teammates have supported me a ton and have brought me back from bad and tough places,” Bielecki said. “They helped me improve in golf but also as a person. They are great to have and I would not have won without them.”
Hamann’s highlight from sectionals was watching Bielecki grow into his role as a varsity player and shooting one of his best rounds ever.
“He played beautifully all day,” Hamann said. “He never got in trouble; he was always attacking the hole and he played great.”
Looking forward to the state meet on October 6 in Bloomington, Bielecki is excited to play at state for the first time, along with the excitement of a state send off.
“We’ve earned the opportunity to try to compete for the state championship,” Hamann said. “We’re going to go there, we’re going to play loose, we’re going to play confident and we’re going to attack.”
Girls’ golf shot an overall score of 363 in the Class 2A Sectional at Buffalo Grove. The Knights were led by senior Emily Torok (80), juniors Alex Pignataro (93), Cathryn Wascher (96), Faye Zinzer (102), sophomore Allison Warnement (94) and freshman Maddie Bielecki (105).
