MT. CARMEL — In an eight-team field tightly bunched at the top, Mt. Carmel emerged as the 2024 Little Illini Conference boys golf tournament champion.
The Golden Aces finished with rounds totaling 319, four shots better than Olney, second at 323. Newton finished a close third with 325 strokes.
Lawrenceville/Red Hill finished in fourth place at 333, five shots ahead of Casey-Westfield’s 338. Robinson (384), Paris (390) and Marshall (432) rounded out the field.
For the fourth straight year, medalist honors went to an Olney Tiger. Ayden Nealis took the crown with a 2-under par round of 69 on the West Berwick Golf Club course — good for a four shot win over Gunner James of Newton, who carded a 2-ovedr 73. Olney’s Reese Glover took third with a 76, two shots ahead of Mt. Carmel’s top finisher, Kollin Kelsey.
Nealis was the only golfer to represent the LIC at the state tournament. He fired a 36-hole total of 162 over the Class 2A Weibring course in Normal.
