Being one of the top-ranked teams in the state all season, the easy assumption is that Hinsdale Central will cruise to the state meet and possibly the Class 3A state title.

But the Red Devils still must go out on the course and produce. On Tuesday, the squad took the first step toward their ultimate goal by winning the York regional held at Oak Meadows Golf Course in Addison.

Hinsdale Central compiled a team score of 295, a total made even more impressive by the windy and rainy conditions. Runner-up York was 10 strokes back while Hinsdale South (315) grabbed the third and final sectional qualifying spot.

Theo Lederhausen, who on Wednesday was named to the American Junior Golf Association’s HP Scholastic Junior All-America team, brought home medalist honors with a one-under 70.

“At the beginning, I was playing one of the best rounds I’ve ever played,” Lederhausen said. “But I kind of fell apart at the end. I might have gotten tired. But it was still a good day. We advanced as a team and that was our goal coming in.”

Sean Marquardt finished in a tie for second place after posting a score of 73 despite a few wayward drives.

“I played pretty well,” Marquardt said. “But I really struggled with my driver, I am not going to lie. I had four bogies due to errant tee shots. But I putted really well, I had no three putts.”

Cooper Travis had a 37 on both the front and back nine to tally a three-over par 74 and a tie for fifth place overall. The senior actually had a chance to challenge Lederhausen for medalist honors but had a rough last two holes.

“I had actually been struggling at the range the last couple of days,” Travis said. “My teammates have helped me out with my swing. I was one-under with two holes to play and went bogey, triple bogey. I lost my ball out-of-bounds on the 18th hole. It was frustrating at the end because you always think you can come in under what you did but I’m still happy.”

Dylan Lee, Chris Meyer and Harry Boling all shot a 78 to wrap up the Hinsdale Central contingent at the regional.

The next step in the state series sends the Red Devils to the St. Charles East sectional on Tuesday at St. Andrews in West Chicago, where they will have to bump heads with the likes of the host Saints, Neuqua Valley and Wheaton Warrenville South, along with the Dukes and Hornets.

“We are looking to make it out of the sectional,” Marquardt said. “We are taking it one step at a time and not looking forward to the state meet right now. We have to make sure we get through.”
Travis agreed with his fellow teammate and classmate.

“We are not expecting too much or too little,” the senior added. “We are just going out there to play. We are not assuming anything.”

Hinsdale Central girls golf
A day later, the Red Devils’ girls golf team followed suit with a first-place finish at the Nazareth Class AA regional held at the Links of Carillon.

Hinsdale Central finished with a stroke total of 330, easily outdistancing the rest of the field. Nazareth (365) was the runner-up with St. Ignatius (365) rounding out the top three.

Erin Ahern grabbed medalist honors with a 77 while Rosanna Lederhausen and Danielle Brown each had an 81. Dena Capitani added a 91, Jacqueline Bruns posted a 94 and Carlee Schwartz carded a 97.

The Red Devils now head to the St. Ignatius Sectional on Tuesday which will be held at Cog Hill in Lemont.