Raider golfers strive for progress

East Peoria is aspiring this year to begin its boys golf turnaround.

After an eighth-place Mid-Illini Conference finish in 2009 that featured a winless dual season at the varsity and frosh/soph levels, the Raiders appear equipped to improve this fall.

“I think we’re going to be improved,” EPCHS head coach Chris Frasco said. “We’ll be better than last year.”

East Peoria has a combination of experience and youth among its eight contenders for varsity positions.

Seniors Ross Johnson and Robbie Rogers have participated in varsity competition all four years.

Johnson was a second-team all-league pick a season ago, the team’s lone honoree, and also a Class 2A Lincoln Sectional qualifier.

Senior newcomer Joe Kelch, a future Division I baseball player at Illinois State University, also is on the squad.

Junior Kurt Klinkradt joins four freshmen or sophomores in the mix for the other top-six slots.

Sophomores Cody Lairmore and Ryan Johnson and freshmen Tyler Sheppard and Casey McWhirter are players Frasco identified as candidates.

Frasco is confident his seniors will regularly card solid counting scores and if one of the other three linksters performs well, East Peoria could pull some surprises.

“If someone can add to that, it could be pretty good for us,” said Frasco.

Twenty-two players tried out for golf this year and seven were cut. Although the team is fairly small, Frasco likes the commitment most of the players are willing to make to improve.

“I tried to set a precedent — you’ve got to play golf,” Frasco said.

With no seniors in ’09 and the key fixtures back, the Raiders did not lose an impact player.

The future outlook is much brighter for a program that has not been in the upper half of the Mid-Illini since a fourth-place finish in ’06.

“We have a lot of young talent coming up,” said Frasco, pointing to a group of incoming eighth graders that plays a lot.

There is no place to go but up, and East Peoria is shooting for steady progress in a season that was scheduled to begin yesterday.

“I hope we can just hold our own a little bit and make it respectable,” Frasco said.

The Raiders host this year’s M-I tournament at Quail Meadows Golf Course, which should help them improve.

“It can definitely play into our advantage as far as gaining spots,” said Frasco of the 18-hole finale at its home course.

Washington is the three-time defending league champion. With their recent success, Frasco listed the Panthers as the favorite.

Pekin always looms as a contender, especially after its lopsided victory Monday over shorthanded Washington.

Brimfield and Central (to replace the closed Woodruff) are new additions to the schedule.

If the Canton Classic is still staged in late September, the Raiders also will see a new layout — Wee-Ma-Tuk Hills Country Club in Cuba — where Canton plays after Canton Public Golf Course was shuttered.

East Peoria starts with two of its toughest assignments in the first week.

Tuesday was the Raider/Redbird Tournament at Weibring Golf Club in Normal and Saturday is the Coyote Creek Classic at Coyote Creek Golf Club.

“It will be a baptism by fire,” said Frasco. “We have a tough one (Tuesday). We’re going to get our feet wet.”

The potential for many positive occurrences gives East Peoria an upbeat approach to this season.