DECATUR, Ill. – The No. 5 ranked Parkland College golf team closed out the Take Back the Night Challenge with a round of 288 (+4) to come from behind and win the tournament on Saturday, April 22nd. The Cobras entered the second round in a tie for first, and the team kept its composure down the stretch at the par 71 South Side Country Club, taking down NCAA DIII Illinois Wesleyan by two strokes to give Parkland its second tournament win this spring. Individually, Roo Fenwick (T2, -2) shot a 71 on Saturday to finish under par, while Dain Richie (4, -1) recorded a 73 to secure his sixth top-5 finish of the year.
“I am proud of this team,” Parkland head coach Corbin Sebens boasted after the win. “I am proud of how they took care of business and understood that today was a new day. It was 30 degrees, the wind blowing like crazy, snowing and sleeting, and when the conditions got worse – we got better. They were all focused, in the present, and took care of business today.”
“We talk all the time about finishing rounds strongly,” Sebens revealed. “The way we finished the last two days was top-notch. Going toe-to-toe with one of the best Division III teams in the country and coming out on top showed me that we are growing and meeting our standard.”
Parkland College looked to be a contender throughout the two-day tournament, as the team tied Illinois Wesleyan University at the top of the leaderboard with a first-round score of 288 (E). The Cobras combined to shoot one over par in their first nine holes after the shotgun start on Saturday, falling behind the Titans midway through the round. Parkland battled back down the stretch, birdieing nine holes on the final nine as Illinois Wesleyan struggled on the back nine’s par 4’s. The Cobras ended up edging the Titans by two strokes, in large part due to 71’s from Roo Fenwick and Michael Addie (T18, +4). Freshman Zarak Curley (T12, +3) finished in the top 20 for the second tournament in a row, and Lucas Park (T52, +13) rounded out the team in Decatur. Parkland College freshman Jack Sciaudone (T42, +11) and sophomore Matthew Barker (T52, +13) competed individually.
“We will enjoy this one this weekend,” Sebens admitted after his team’s final regular season action, “and get back to work on Monday, focusing our attention on regionals.”
Up next, Parkland will begin postseason play at The Pfau Course at Indiana University for the NJCAA Central District Championships. The two-day Regional begins on May 1st.
Team Results (Top 10)
1 Parkland College +4 288+288=576
2 Illinois Wesleyan (A) +6 288+290=578
3 Rose-Hulman Inst. Tech +12 289+295=584
4 Millikin University +13 294+291=585
5 Illinois Wesleyan (B) +17 289+300=589
6 Heartland CC +22 302+292=594
7 Nebraska Wesleyan +24 300+296=596
8 DePauw University +25 299+298=597
9 Carthage College +26 294+304=598
10 Central College (IA) +26 304+305=609
Parkland Individual Results
T2 Roo Fenwick -2 70+71=141
4 Dain Richie -1 69+73=142
T12 Zarak Curley +3 73+73=146
T18 Michael Addie +4 76+71=147
T42 Jack Sciaudone* +11 78+76=154
T52 Matthew Barker* +13 83+73=156
T52 Lucas Park +13 78+78=156
*Athlete competed individually
