Qualifying players from the Boys’ Varsity Golf team, seniors Kevin Shuch, Lucas Shin, Isaiah Paek, Jamie Kim, and juniors Tad Collete and Skyler Joseph, attended the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Golf Tournament, Head Coach Jeffery Paek said. They placed ninth out of the 12 total placements in the state competition, falling just short of Barrington for the eighth spot and barely missing a chance to compete on the second day, Jeffrey said.

The IHSA State Golf Tournament was hosted at The Den in Bloomington, which is a tough golf course but rewarding to competitive golf players, Jeffery explained. Shuch stood out for his grit, determination, and growth, ending with all-state honors, and an award for placing in the top ten, Jeffrey said. 

The team also handled their emotions well, although most players had never been to state, Jeffery said. While they did not advance to the second day, three of the six individual golfers, Shuch, Shin and Collete advanced to the second round, he added.

The road to State was not an easy one, Jeffery said. Players practiced consistently every single day, only stopping if the golf course was drenched in water from rain, he explained. They also had to do well in the IHSA Regional Golf Tournament, and their practice then paid off when they placed 3rd against tough contenders such as Evanston Township and New Trier, junior Foster Noshay said.

 “We tell [the players] that something would be wrong if every single golfer were not nervous when their names are announced,” Jeffery said. “It means that they care.”

The team’s leadership, cohesion, and moral support came from their captains, Isaiah, Shin, and Shuch, Jeffery said.

  “When you play as a team, you add up all the scores, but you’re not with your teammates during that process,” Jeffery said. “[It is] just not set up that way. We have captains that are really great in terms of keeping the team together and keeping the team encouraged off the golf course.”