Highland High School boys golf team kicks off 2020 season in grand fashion
The Highland High School boys golf team could not have asked for a better start to the 2020 fall season.
Highland traveled to Alton on Tuesday to play in the Alton Tee-Off Classic and, thanks to a big day from Evan Sutton, the Bulldogs had an outstanding first outing on the links. The Bulldogs then won Madison County Large School Tournament on Thursday.
At the Alton Tee-Off Classic, HHS finished second in the 15-team field at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course with a four-player score of 241, leaving them just two strokes behind tournament champion Althoff, which shot a 239.
Sutton, a senior, provided the big boost for Highland with his opening day performance on the course as he shot a 73 to finish two shots ahead of Althoff’s Avery Irwin, who took second place overall. Sutton earned medalist honors.
“Evan Sutton shot a 73 which put him as the leader in the clubhouse but (he shot) a very solid round and he was two over (par) on the front and one (over par) on the back and actually left a few shots on the course,” Highland coach Thomas James said.
“His approach was pretty solid, the greens were fast and firm and with the new new (COVID-19) protocol, we had just minutes of range time and putting green time, so we had to try to adjust to the greens on the course, which took some time. But he definitely did, shooting at one-under on the back.”
Sutton’s strong round earned him medalist honors for the tournament.
The rest of the Bulldogs quartet also turned in solid efforts, as Dominic Emig and Jake Brauns both shot an 84 and Jaxton Black fired an 87.
“The rest of the boys’ ball-striking was pretty solid but our putts were just higher than expected ... we’ve been used to the rain we’ve had with pretty soft greens and not a lot of speed (on the greens),” James said. “So, you go into it and you try your best to get a feel for the speed with the little bit of time we have to practice on the putting green. But it’s a lot of adjusting on the course and it’s tough.”
Belleville and Alton Marquette finished tied for third at the Alton Tee-Off Classic, each shooting 244, while O’Fallon was fifth with a 246. Mater Dei (253), Edwardsville (257), Waterloo (262), Columbia (262), Triad (270), Belleville West (287), Collinsville (302), Alton (304), and Granite City (309) rounded out the rest of the field.
HHS captures tournament crown
Sutton left the Alton Tee-Off Classic feeling he could have played a better round as the Bulldogs took second in the 15 team tournament at Spencer T. Olin Golf Course.
On Thursday, Sutton not only did better, he dominated, shooting a career best 3 under par 69 to lead the Bulldogs to a team best 299. His output helped Highland knock off Granite City and stop Edwardsville to win the Madison County Large School Tournament at Belk Park Golf Course in Wood River.
Granite City finished second with a 331 score and Edwardsville, which had won the title the past eight years, finished third after firing a 340 score.
Sutton again won the medalist honor with his career best day on the course at Belk Park.
“I felt like on Tuesday, I was hitting my greens, but my putting I didn’t adjust to the greens very well,” Sutton said. “At Belk Park I just had so much more confidence on the greens. We got there fairly early and were able to get on the putting greens and were able to get the speed down and that really helped. The softer greens (there) really suit my game.”
In prep for the season, Sutton played a lot of summer golf and participated in several junior PGA tournaments. Those outings have helped him start the season strong.
“I played at quite a few Junior PGA events (this summer) and I think going out there and getting used to playing in those tournaments and having a little more pressure on those shots really kind of gets you ready for those high school tournaments,” Sutton said.
Other Bulldogs golfers perform well at Belk Park
Black also had a big day for the Bulldogs at Belk Park, as he shot a strong 75 and finished three over par.
“Jaxton Black had 14 less putts yesterday than he did on Tuesday,” James said. “It was completely a tale of two different rounds for him and the biggest difference for Jaxton yesterday was just putting.”
Brauns fired a 75, Bryce Knackstedt shot a 78, and Emig scored an 84 to round out a strong effort for the Bulldogs.
“Everybody was playing about as well as they could and that course typically fits the boys and they feel confident out there and it’s just a course our boys like and they went out there and played confident,” James said.
The Bulldogs shooting a sub-300 game was special and something James suspected might be possible this season with this group. It was also the first under-300 score for the Bulldogs in James’ five-year tenure as head coach.
“I knew this team was capable of one but I wasn’t sure it would happen this early in the season,” James said. “Bryce Knackstedt came out in his first varsity tournament and his swing had been looking good for a long time and he had been putting it together and he stepped up big. Jaxton continued with great ball striking and did it with the putter.”
Tournament showing bodes well for season
James said claiming Madison County championship gives the Bulldogs early visible proof that they will be one of the area’s top programs this season.
“It’s just letting the guys know that they’re right there and they can play with anybody like Edwardsville, which is a great program, and serves as a mearsuing stick for a lot of the guys around here. So when they beat a team like that, it’s a shot of adrenaline for them hopefully and keeps the energy up and is a little reward for their hard work,” James said.
Sutton said he believes the team is off to a good start and he believes they are headed in the right direction toward a potentially special season.
“I think our season is looking pretty promising with four seniors on the team this year and we’ve got two guys who don’t have much (varsity) experience, but they’ve been playing pretty good these first two tournaments and we’re just getting better as a team.” Sutton said.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 9:53 AM.