Neuqua Valley boys golf and Waubonsie Valley square off on a cloudy afternoon at Springbrook Golf Course with the Warriors welcoming the Wildcats for another exciting DVC edition of the 204 rivalry. The teams are hoping to finish their nine holes before the rain arrives. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Both teams get off to strong starts on the first hole
In the opening group, Drew Allen from Neuqua Valley likes the way he starts his afternoon after hitting a par putt on the first hole.
Neuqua freshman Alex Chen looks to salvage his opening hole, facing a lengthy bogey attempt. But his line is on point as the putt finds the bottom of the cup for the young Wildcat.
Another Wildcat having a strong start is Connor Rodebaugh, who knocks home a par, eventually going on to a round of 41 on the afternoon.
Waubonsie Valley shows off its depth with Josh Pijanowski chipping for birdie just off the green. The senior nearly curls one in, but it settles just inches short. A nice shot that leaves an easy tap in for par.
In the same group is Trevor Park from Neuqua Valley. He makes a well-placed chip that rolls just a couple feet past the pin. He goes on to sink the following putt as part of a strong round of 38.
Wrapping up the first hole is another Waubonsie Valley senior, Jack Kowalik. A great putt from beyond 20 feet finds the cup for a birdie to start the round.
Mother Nature makes herself felt in the middle of the round
About an hour into the match, the skies opened up and a downpour engulfs the green. Kaden Kraemer drives his tee shot through the rainfall and onto the quickly flooding green. Eventually, the pin finds itself underwater, and the players head to the clubhouse to wait out the rain.
The rain slows to a stop after a half-hour delay. Kraemer finishes with a par and a 41 on the day. Waubonsie senior Garrett Keating makes a nice putt from 15 feet before retrieving his ball from the waterlogged hole.
The top Waubonsie group takes advantage of hole number seven
Over to another par three, hole number seven, where Aanish Kamdar takes his iron off the tee and places it squarely on the center of the green. The Waubonsie junior goes on to two-putt for par as part of a solid round of 38.
Near the edge of the green on the seventh hole, Avi Khanduja putts for birdie. A fantastic putt from the Warrior who plays the slight break perfectly to bury the putt. A 37 for Khanduja is the top score on the team.
Braden Chung from Neuqua takes his second shot just off the far side of the green. He chips it off the hill and the ball slows to a stop within six feet of the pin. Chung then finishes the par with a steady putt into the cup. The junior turns in the top score of the day with an even 36.
Still on number seven, where another Wildcat, Daniel Zhang hits a ten-foot putt for par. He ends his day with a score of 40.
Two of the younger Waubonsie Valley golfers pull their weight as well with strong performances. Freshman Aarnav Nanda and sophomore Neil Patel each par the seventh as Nanda tallies a 39 and Patel scores a 40.
The match is neck-and-neck heading into the final groups. The Wildcats trail by just two strokes as senior Tegan Clancy looks to chip in for birdie on hole number nine, but the ball stays just inches wide and strays beyond the pin. Clancy ends his round with a 40.
The Warriors close things out for a narrow victory
The Warriors need to close things out to secure victory. Jack Kowalik takes his second shot from the ninth hole fairway and lands his approach on the dance floor. The senior finishes with a 39 to help maintain that small advantage.
Waubonsie Valley looks to close out the victory on the final hole. Josh Pijanowski ends his round with a par and a 37, tied for the best score on the team. That helps Waubonsie boys golf to a two-stroke win over Neuqua Valley by the score of 151-153. Another exciting chapter in the long rivalry between these two great programs.
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