Steamers second in storm: Fulton, five locals advance to sectional

ROCK ISLAND – Fulton’s Kyle Workman was pretty sure the Steamers would qualify for next week’s sectionals.

A little rain and a lot of wind didn’t change his opinion.

“I had a good feeling by the way we’ve played this season that we’d get at least third,” Workman said.

Workman was right. Fulton shot, putted and limped its way to a second-place finish Tuesday at the Class 1A Rockridge Regional on at Highland Springs.

The Steamers – who shot 334 – advance to Monday’s Mercer County Sectional in Aledo with first-place Alleman (319) and third-place Princeton (344).

The Steamers were the only team to have two players in the 70s: Workman (78) and Andrew Cramer (79).

Evan Eissens was on pace for a similar score after shooting a 39 on his first nine holes, but he twisted his ankle during his backswing with six holes left. He hobbled his way to an 86, and Cody Tiesman added a 91.

“When we took the break after nine holes, we got together as a team and just talked about sticking it out in the rain and wind,” Cramer said. “We knew at that point we had a really good shot at making as a team.”

Along with the three top teams, the top eight individual scorers not from those teams advance to the sectional. Five of those qualifiers came from the Sauk Valley, including Rock Falls’ Tanner Brown (84) and Trevin Hippen (89).

“Today you had to be mentally strong to play well,” Brown said. “You had to have confidence in your shots. I thought I could have played better.”

Hippen thought his season was over. His score ended up as the cutoff.

“I walked off the course and didn’t think I had a chance,” Hippen said. “I was shocked when they said I made it. When I was a freshman and sophomore, this would never have been good enough.”

Dan Nieman of Newman also who made the cut with an 88, and he also left the course worried.

“I finished off with a double-bogey, which was a kind of ugly way to end,” Nieman said. “But it’s nice to be able to play another week.”