St. Vincent boys look for another district title

St. Vincent is looking to make it 3-for-3 in district titles in boys sports this year when the district golf tournament begins Wednesday at Piney Valley Golf Course in Fort Leonard Wood.

The Indians finished second in the Class 2 District 1 tournament last year, but St. Vincent moved down to Class 1 this season. The Indians have not lost a dual meet all year and return four of their top five golfers from last year's squad that finished 16th in the team standings at the state tournament.

"We've had a really good regular season just playing dual matches," Indians coach Tom Prost said.

With a change in the playoff rules, only the district winning team will qualify for the state tournament this year. The top 10 individuals not on the winning team also qualify for the state tournament.

Among St. Vincent's returning golfers, sophomore Zach Richardet had St. Vincent's top finish at the state tournament, in which he tied for 86th. Danny Rellergert (106th), Jacob DeWilde (tied for 107th) and Grant Pingel (112th) also participated in the tournament for St. Vincent.

Prost said having such an experienced squad should be an advantage for the Indians.

"You don't have to be worried if they'll blow up on you because you know that's not going to happen," he said.

It has been a banner year for the Indians' athletics program. After the football team won the Class 1 state championship -- the program's first after two previous runner-up finishes -- the boys basketball team posted a runner-up finish in the Class 2 state tournament in the program's first trip to the final four.

"They definitely know how to play under pressure," Prost said. "I have two seniors [Rellergert and DeWilde] who have been through the football thing and been through the basketball thing."

The Indians' golf program is the most decorated among its sports programs, with two state titles and eight top-three finishes. St. Vincent's last state title came in 2001, and both state titles have come under Prost.

"We've been pretty lucky the last 10 years or so and always had just enough kids to go somewhere," Prost said.

Along with returning state participants Richardet, Rellergert, DeWilde and Pingel, the Indians will bring Corey Brueckner to the district tournament.

Today's tournaments

District tournaments for Central, Jackson, Notre Dame and Perryville will begin today.

Central, which qualified for the state tournament with a second-place finish last season after tying the Mules in the district tournament, will compete along with Jackson at the Class 4 District 1 tournament at Quail Creek Golf Course in south St. Louis County. Poplar Bluff, the defending district champion, will come in as the favorite again. The Mules finished third in the team standings at the state tournament last year, led by sophomore Tyler Hillis who tied for first.

"There's no doubt they would be the favorite of our district and maybe at the state level," Central coach Dick Wadlington said.

In order to qualify for the state tournament as a team, the Tigers will have to pull off the upset.

Wadlington said that while he does not like the new rule change, his team still believes it can bring home a district title.

"They're still positive about it," he said. "I don't think any of the teams are going to give up. They just know they have their work cut out for them."

The Tigers return several golfers from last year's team, which finished 10th in the state tournament. Blake Driskell is Central's top returning golfer after finishing 36th at the state tournament last year. Driskell has been shooting low scores throughout the season, including a 3-under 32 at the Cape Country Club in a recent dual. Fellow junior Kirk Lohmann is a contender to qualify as an individual.

"You'd like to think those two have a very good chance of finishing in the top 10," Wadlington said.

The Tigers also are expected to bring juniors Zach Kluesner, Robert Kaverman and Sam Bornstein to the district tournament.

Jackson will have Josh Wheeler, Taylor McDowell, Gabe Sauer, Ryan Mouser and Alex Balsman in its lineup.

Notre Dame and Perryville will compete today at the Class 3 District 1 tournament at Eagle Lake Golf Course in Farmington, Mo.

Notre Dame is led by Will Lindman.