The steam engine train that has become the Benton boys' golf team rolled to another Southern Illinois River-To-River Conference Ohio Division championship Tuesday as the Rangers won their sixth straight by 21 strokes.
The Rangers shot a 321, while West Frankfort finished second with a 342. Harrisburg took third with a 361 and Massac County fired a 371 for fourth place. The Ohio was rounded out by Herrin (373) and Murphysboro (386).
Individually, Benton sophomore Cy Norman led all players with a 72 to take medalist honors, earning All-Conference honors and was joined on the list by five other teammates.
Norman, who is 11-for-11 with medalist honors this season had four birdies with one bogey on his day. HIs father and head golf coach Reggie Norman said for Cy to earn his first in the conference tournament was certainly special.
"He's trying to find some things right now in his game. (Tuesday) was another opportunity to try to see if he can get some things to click."
Peyton Sieveking was third overall with a 79, while Keaton House finished fourth with a 84, Luke Melvin fired a 86 for fifth place. Andrew Bell battled to a seventh place finish with an 86 and Nick Melvin shot a 89 for a 10th place finish.
"Our goal each year is to have all six of our players place on the All-Conference Team," Norman said. "It's happened for us the past two years.
"What I think really stood out today was that Peyton, who was playing in his last conference tournament, played really well and Keaton stepped up. He hasn't been hitting it very well, but managed to scrap out a nice score."
West Frankfort's Tyson Elko was second overall with a 77 and Andrew Bittle scored a sixth place finish, grabbing All-Conference honors with a 86. The West Frankfort duo of Lucas Whittington and Ben Herron were eighth and ninth overall, as both added an 88.
Harrisburg's Ashton Hall, Herrin's Logan Baggett and West Frankfort's Golden Hillard all tied for 10th place as the trio individually shot an 89.
Benton who is 26-0 on the season puts an emphasis every year on four things, the first of which is to win a conference title. Next up will be Tuesday's regional at Green Hills Golf Club in Mt. Vernon, followed by a sectional, which is TBD. The final checkmark would come in the form of a state tournament.
For Norman, in a season defined by COVID-19, 3-out-of-4 isn't bad.
"Tuesday was a tough scoring day," he said. "It was chilly in the morning, starting out in the 40's and the breeze was up all day. Nothing factors more into golf than wind."
Harrisbrug's Evan McDermott fired a 94, while Colby Morse and Hayden Emery each shot a pair of 98's.
On the Mississippi side, Anna-Jonesboro won their fourth title, knocking off 11-time champ Nashville by eight strokes.
The Wildcats fired a 341, while Luke Lasley took home overall medalist honors with a 69.
Nashville shot a 349, followed by a 361 from Carterville and a 384 from Pinckneyville. Du Quoin (386) and Sparta (413) rounded out the team scoring.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS RIVER-TO-RIVER CONFERENCE BOYS GOLF TOURNAMENT
OHIO: 1. Benton (321); 2. West Frankfort (342); 3. Harrisburg (361); 4. Massac County (371); 5. Herrin (373); 6. Murphysboro (386)
ALL-CONFERENCE: 1. Cy Norman (Benton, 72); 2. Tyson Elko (West Frankfort, 77); 3. Peyton Sieveking (Benton, 79); 4. Keaton House (Benton, 84), 5. Luke Melvin (Benton, 86); 6. Andrew Bittle (Harrisburg, 86), 7. Andrew Bell (Benton, 86); 8. Lucas Whittington (West Frankfort, 88); 9. Ben Herron (West Frankfort, 88); 10. Ashton Hall (Harrisburg, 89); 10. Logan Baggett (Herrin, 89); 10. Colden Hillard (West Frankfort, 89).
MISSISSIPPI: 1. Anna-Jonesboro (341), 2. Nashville (349), 3. Carterville (361); 4. Pinckneyville (384); 5. Du Quoin (386); 6. Sparta (413).
ALL-CONFERENCE: 1. Luke Lasley (Anna-Jonesboro, 69); 2. Aaron Brink (Nashville, 81); 3. Nile Adcock (Pinckneyville 82); 4. Spencer Brown (Carterville, 84); 5. Gabe Kreid (Nashville, 85); 6. Gavin Osman (Anna-Jonesboro, 85); 8. Garrick Blevins (Du Quoin, 90); 9. Trevor Siliven (Nashville, 91); 10. Kamden Richardson (Anna-Jonesboro, 92); 10. Caden Hutchens (Du Quoin, 92); 10. Parken Renken (Nashville, 92).
