Taylor Hug finishes season 11th at regionals

With the prep volleyball season on hold until February, Taylor Hug stepped out of her comfort zone in August to represent St. Joseph-Ogden on the links. Today, her first season prep season in the sport came to a close at the IHSA Class 1A girls regional tournament in Watseka.

Hug, in her best outing of the season, yielded an 11th place finish out of a field 57 competitors at the Shewami Country Club. She was the only member of the girls golf program this fall and perhaps the first to represent SJO in the sport.

Starting her day off the tenth tee, the sophomore collected nine strokes on the par 5 for a rough start.  She went on to finish the back nine 14 over.

Despite tallying pars on the first, 5th and 7th holes, she added another 52 strokes on the front nine to finish the day with a 102. Unfortunately, Hug needed an 97 or better to advance to this season's sectional.

The top two teams, both from Champaign County, St. Thomas More (368) and Mahomet-Seymour (397) finished in the top two medal positions. In addition the teams finishing first and second, the top four individual players also continue their season at the upcoming sectional tournament.

Correction:

This story was updated with Hug needing a 97 or better, not and 87, to compete in the upcoming sectional meet.

Kern leads Spartans at golf regionals, SJO finishes 4th

Tallying 394 strokes, the St. Joseph-Ogden boys golf team finished in fourth place at yesterday's IHSA regional golf tournament.

Thanks to a birdie on 16th hole, Jacob Kern led the Spartans with the team's top score of 88. He bogeyed or better on six of front nine greens, including a collecting a par on the 5th hole, to finish the first half of play nine over at 47 and advance to the Tuscola sectional tournament next Tuesday.

Fortunately, Kern had an easier time on the back nine at the Danville Country Club. He shot par on the 13th and 14th, and bogeyed the 15th before his spectacular birdie. He went par again on the 17th and finished two strokes over on the 18th hole.

Just two points separated the top three team on Tuesday. Bismarck-Henning Rossville-Alvin won the title with 377 strokes while St. Thomas More turned in a 378 team effort. Host Schlarman, finished in third place ahead of SJO with 379 points.

Ty Pence turned in the second best card for the Spartans shooting a 50 on the first nine holes and used 43 strokes to finish the last nine for a 93.

McGwire Atwood shot a 96 to finish in 13th place. Connor Hale and Jack Robertson finished back-to-back 117 and 118, respectively.