Tallen James and Noah Homan advance to Sectional Tournament
By Jim Beers
CHESTER – The Chester High School Boys’ Golf Team competed at the 2023 IHSA Class 1A Regional Tournament hosted by Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher at the Franklin County Country Club. The event was held Wednesday September 27.
There were 13 teams with a total of 75 young men competing at the Regional. Chester had six of those golfers. The Medalist for the 2023 ZRC Regional was Brendan Klingler (So.) from Waltonville who shot 77 for the 18-hole match.
Chester High School Boys Golf Team members Noah Homan (left) and Tallen James (right) pose for a photo following their performances at the Class 1A Class 1A Regional Tournament Wednesday September 27th at Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher. Both boys qualified to advance to the 2023 IHSA Class1A Sectional Tournament Monday October 2nd. To earn this honor Tallen James finished 4th overall out of 75 golfers with his game of 81 while Noah Homan finished 18th out of 75 golfers with his game of 90 strokes. James is a freshman and Homan is a junior. Both will compete at the Waterloo Gibault Catholic Sectional at the Acorns Golf Links Course on Monday October 2. Christy James Photo
“These kids have worked so hard all year and they definitely fought until their very last holes in every single tournament! It waw some of their last rounds of the year and I’m very proud of all those kids.
“I take Tallen and Noah Sectionals on Monday October 2 and I’m excited to see how they will play.”
The YellowJackets are coached by Jaden Mott, Head Coach and Paul Zemlyn, Assistant Coach.
The YellowJackets placed 4th out of the field of 13 teams. Two YellowJackets, Tallen James and Noah Homan finished in the Top-10, (after players from the Top-3 advancing teams were taken out) therefore qualifying them to advance to the 2023 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Tournament Monday October 2nd. This event is hosted by Waterloo Gibault Catholic at the Acorns Golf Links.
Chester’s individual scores are as follow:
Tallen James (Fr.) 81 (Finished 4th) * Advanced to Sectional
Noah Homan (Jr.) 90 (Finished 18th) * Advanced to Sectional
Lucas Thompson (Sr.) 91 (Finished 20th)
Evan Dunning (Jr.) 98 (Finished 41st)
Brenden Malley (Jr.) 99 (Finished 43rd)
Trevin Eggemeyer (Fr.) 103 (Finished 49th)
Note: There were a total of 75 golfers
The Trico Pioneers were the Regional Champions this year with a score of 326 strokes as a team. Waltonville was runner up with 360 strokes and Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher finished third with a score of 351. All three of those Top-3 teams will advance to the 2023 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Monday October 2.
Chester (360) finished nine strokes behind ZRC (351) and just barely missed qualifying to advance to Sectionals as a team. The Jackets finished 4th out of the 13 competing teams. The entire list of finishers with their point totals are as follow:
Trico 326
Waltonville 350
Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher 351
CHESTER 360
Steeleville 362
Goreville 362
Vienna 366
Gallatin 380
Johnston City 393
Cobden 408
West Frankfort 418
Eldorado 440
Hardin County 467
To determine the Top-10 individual finishers who advanced to the Sectional Tournament, the names of the 18 golfers from the Top-3 advancing teams were taken out of the list of 75 finishers. From that remainng pool of 57 golfers, the Top-10 remaining golfers were selected to advance to the Sectional Tournament. That Top-10 list includes:
Grayson Wilson (Jr.) Gallatin County (80)
TALLEN JAMES (Fr.) CHESTER (81)
Evan Goforth (Jr.) West Frankfort (86)
Drake Buffington (Jr.) Goreville (87)
Mikkah Jacobus (Sr.) Steeleville (88)
Ty Trovillion (Fr.) Goreville (88)
Matthew O’Neal (Sr.) Vienna (88)
Cannon Weatherly (Sr.) Eldorado (89)
Cannon Ruby (Jr.) Steeleville (90)
NOAH HOMAN (Jr.) CHESTER (90)
The 2023 IHSA Class 1A Sectional Tournament is being hosted this year by Waterloo Gibault Catholic High School. The event will take place at the Acorns Golf Links Course. Golfers from four regionals will compete at this sectional including Alton Marquette Regional; McLeansboro (Hamilton County) Regional; Pinckneyville Regional; and the Zeigler-Royalton-Christopher Regional.