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 Winans to nationals for second try   

   By JJ Ossola
   IV Leader Sports editor, May 3, 2007

     The Illinois Valley Community College men’s golf team solidified its position in conference play with their victory at the Sauk Arrowhead tourney on April 23 with a 305 team score and is second overall in the conference, trailing Black Hawk by one point. Sophomore Alex Cronin was the medalist of the tourney, shooting 72, on what Coach Mike Riley said was, “his best game of the season by far.”
    Sophomore Matt Morris finished in second with a score of 74, and regional qualifier Sophomore Adam Winans placed fourth with 75. Riley said, “We were hoping to take this momentum over to the Kish tournament [April 26] but Mother Nature had other plans.”
    In what Riley has described as “one of the worst springs ever for outdoor sports,” the golf time must finish up three more tournaments in the next two weeks.
    With the win, IVCC took a four point lead in the standings with Highland garnering 12 points, and ahead of Carl Sandberg by 8 points. Riley said, “I like where we are right now and I think that we can pull ahead and take first by the end of the season.”
    IVCC has not taken first in the last three years, after winning six years in a row, and are now in their 10 th season in the conference.
    Sophomore Winans is upbeat about going to regional play saying, “I feel really good about my game. I’ve won a couple of tourneys and I have the experience from last year to go on. I should do alright.”
    At the 2006 Nationals, Winans placed 41 st out of a field of 125 golfers. Riley said, “Adam is a regional medalist but he has all the tools to be an All-American… if he can keep it out of the water.” To which Winans replied laughingly, “Yeah, that would be a good idea.”
    Riley went on, “Right now it’s going to be more of a mental challenge. He has the experience from last year and he has been really good this year. We expect good things for him.”
    The 2007 National Junior College Athletics Association Division II Golf championship is held at the Goose Pond Colony Golf course in Scottsboro, Ala., May 22-25.

 

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