(ROBINSON) — The Mt. Carmel girls golf team may or may not win a record-setting sixth consecutive IHSA Class 1A state championship next month – after all they are only ranked ninth in the latest Class 1A iWannamaker ratings. However, the Lady Aces appear to have enough firepower to win a sixth straight Little Illini Conference title when the league gathers on Wednesday at Quail Creek Country Club here for the boys and girls league championship tournament.
In fact, it could end up being a sweep for Mt. Carmel golfers, because the Aces boys team is a solid favorite there, too, according to iWannamaker. They are currently rated fourth in Class 1A.
Play begins at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The 18-hole, par-72 layout can stretch to 6,612 yards from the championship tees. Quail Creek places a premium on accuracy, especially on approach shots to greens which have been described this summer as fast and true. The course features a noticeably longer back nine, including the 556-yard, par-5 10th hole. Water also comes prominently into play, including the 15th hole, where golfers must cross water twice.
Using iWannamaker ratings and filtering in each team’s best six rounds, projected team finishes look like this:
Boys: 1. Mt. Carmel, 2. Lawrenceville / Red Hill, 3. Casey-Westfield, 4. Olney, 5. Newton, 6. Robinson, 7. Paris, 8. Marshall.
Girls: 1. Mt. Carmel, 2. Robinson, 3. Olney, 4. Marshall. (Note: Only four girls teams will field a full roster.)
Last year, the LIC boys tournament went into overtime. After Olney had already wrapped up the team title, Tigers teammates Ayden Nealis and Reese Glover settled medalist honors with a playoff that stretched over three holes at the Richland Country Club course in Olney, won by Nealis with a 4-foot putt for par.
Post-season play will begin next week with IHSA Regional tournaments. Quail Creek will also play host to both a boys and girls Class 1A Regional tournament.
