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Providence shares title behind Korbakes
A year ago, Providence boys golf coach John Platt omitted then-junior Telly Korbakes from his six-player state lineup even though he had played in the regional and sectional.
“It was my decision, I hope what he is doing now is a vendetta against me,” Platt said with a smile Monday after Korbakes fired an even-par 71 at Inwood to win sectional medalist honors and lift the Celtics into a co-championship with Normal West in the Class 3A Joliet Township Sectional.
“I deserved it,” Korbakes said of his demotion. “I’m playing this year with a totally new mind-set.”
Korbakes shot 35-36 and fellow seniors Ryan Utter (40-37—77), Casey Labuda (39-38—77) and Nick Anderson (43-40—83) overcame bad starts to help power Providence to the first-place tie at 308. Pekin had 311 to get the third and final qualifying spot for the state tournament Friday and Saturday at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington.
The rest of the team field included Neuqua Valley (313), Lincoln-Way Central (316), Lockport (318), Quincy (322), Collinsville, Bloomington and Edwardsville (all at 325), Plainfield North (334) and Plainfield South (334).
The top 10 individuals not on advancing teams also earned state berths. Lincoln-Way North’s Nick Moleski started on the back and shot 39, then turned in a sizzling 33 on the front for a 72 and second place. Joliet’s Trent Wallace, Lockport’s A.J. Michalowicz and Lincoln-Way Central’s Bryant Bolden all qualified at 76, the highest score to make the state cut.
“Telly has been playing great,” Platt said of Korbakes, the regional medalist last week at Heritage Bluffs. “He has been in such a zone lately; he’s as good as anybody. He doesn’t talk much, but he grinds it out. A few weeks back his putting was horrible, but otherwise, he has played well all season.”
“I’m happy for our team,” said Korbakes, who finished with a birdie on 18 that earned medalist honors. “We came out here and did what we knew we could.”
The trip to state will be Providence’s third straight. “Maybe this will be the year,” Platt said.
If there was an unhappy side to the day, Platt said it was that Lincoln-Way Central did not advance.
“It could have been all New Lenox,” he said. “(Knights coach) Don Hayes is a good friend of mine, and he’s got a bunch of great kids there.”
“We didn’t do bad, it just wasn’t good enough today,” Hayes said. “I thought the scores would be a little lower overall, but the course played tougher than I thought. This was our third year to sectional, but I guess the third time wasn’t a charm.”
Central received a 77 from Tony Kestel, one stroke shy of qualifying. Bolden advances after shooting 38-38, joining Joliet’s Wallace and Lockport’s Michalowicz. Plainfield South’s Matt Ward and Plainfield North’s Caleb Kissel, like Kestel, were in the near-miss category after shooting 77. Joliet’s Devyn Boswell and Lockport’s Zach Trent were next among local players with 80s.
“I was real nervous and started horribly,” Wallace said. “I was 6-over after seven holes. Then my coach (Ed Larson) told me I could still qualify if I shot 1-under from that point, and I did. I birdied the last two holes on the back and shot 1-over on the front to finish.”
“This kid is something special,” Larson said of his prize freshman. “It will be great experience for him to be at state. As nervous as he was today, he’s real excited now.”
Lockport coach George Brecheisen said Michalowicz’s first trip to state is well deserved.
“It’s good that we got one person through and A.J. works as hard as anyone,” he said. “If he stays consistent, he can do well at state. You don’t need to shoot lights-out there, just be consistent.
“And the beauty of it is, everyone there will be starting at zero.”
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