New Trier soph is state golf champ as Trevians fall just short of three-peat amid historically low scoring

Liam Kelly traveled 150 miles just to meet his neighbor.

The New Trier sophomore golfer tied Evanston junior Kieran Low for the best score in the IHSA Class 3A championships held Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, at The Den at Fox Creek in Bloomington.

The two, who are familiar foes in high school and junior-circuit play, advanced to a playoff to decide the state champion. Going into the extra hole, Kelly’s goal was to dial up the pressure on his opponent.

“I knew I birdied the hole (No. 1) early that day, so I just wanted to get myself on the green and have a chance to putt first and put the pressure on,” said Kelly, who chose to tee off first.

On the par-4 hole, Kelly found the green in two and rolled his birdie try within a foot or so of the cup. His tap-in and par was one better than his opponent and made him the IHSA 3A individual championship.

Kelly is the second Trevian (Johnny Creamean, 2022) to win the individual title in the last three years and the fourth New Trier boys state champion (Jack Junge, 2012; Michael Slaven, 1999; Bernie Magnussen, 1954) in IHSA history.

“Walking off the green on the playoff and seeing my family and my team, it just all came together,” Kelly said. “Practicing all year, that is the moment you live for, and it arrived.”

Kelly’s performance dulled the sting of New Trier’s dramatic team finish. Winners of the previous two state tournaments, the Trevians finished one stroke back of Hinsdale Central and Evanston to take home the third-place trophy. Hinsdale Central won the team championship with its backup scores breaking the tie.

New Trier coach Pete Drevline and the Trevians collectively shot a two-over-par on the second day (Oct. 19), gaining five strokes on Hinsdale Central but coming up just short.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Drevline said. “You feel bad for the kids. These guys put a lot of hard work in over the years and that was our goal to win a third straight state championship, and one stroke short is very painful.

“Time will heal the wounds of this loss, but they will remember the memories and how they built bonds with this team.”

The finish gave New Trier its 11th state trophy (top 3 finish) since 2009 — two firsts, seven seconds and two thirds — when Drevline took the program’s reins. The Trevians have 25 state trophies (6 firsts, 16 seconds, 3 thirds) since New Trier East and West merged into one New Trier in 1981.

Kelly’s championship weekend was supported by junior Logan Keeter’s All-State performance. Keeter was just two strokes off the lead, shooting a two-under 142 on the weekend and placing fifth. Senior Boden Rice (152, 27th) and junior Elias Weidmanis (157, 44th) helped the Trevians’ effort, as did senior Bobby Felicione, who stepped up on Day 2 with a three-over 75.

Hinsdale Central held a six stroke lead on New Trier and Wheaton-Warrenville South after the first day (293-299). The Trevians made a big push on the second day, led by Kelly’s four birdies on the front nine. But they weren’t the only ones.

Evanston shot a collective three-under par on Day 2, making up 10 strokes to tie Hinsdale for the top score and place second.

The team scoring (588) was the third lowest two-day total in the tournament’s history and its lowest in 17 years (Normal University 583 in 2007). The top four team finishers, including WWS (593), all posted collective scores that would have won the tournament each of the last 17 seasons.

“Congrats to the other two programs,” Drevline said of Hinsdale Central and Evanston. “I’ve been going down there for a lot of year and that’s the best competition I’ve seen. It was an incredible tournament, run well by the IHSA with a ton of great players out there. It was fun to watch.”

Best of the rest

New Trier junior Grace Leber shot a three-over-par 147 to claim eighth overall in the IHSA Class 2A girls championships Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, at Hickory Point in Decatur.

Leber carded a one-over on the first day and two-over on the second to finish in the top 10 and with an All-State medal.

Glenbrook North won the team title by 13 strokes thanks to state champ Martha Kuwahara (-5) and runnerup Alexis Myers (-3). The Spartans Kacie Moon (+4) also finished in the top 10.

Stevenson and Hinsdale Central finished second and third, respectively.

In the Class 1A boys tournament, North Shore Country Day finished 11th as a team on the first day, missing the cut by three strokes, on Oct. 18 at Prairie Vista in Bloomington.

Senior Raiders Nolan Darnieder (161, 39th) and Henry Potthoff (167, 56th) finished inside the top 60 on the weekend.

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