FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

Results

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (Apr. 18, 2009) - The North Central College men's golf team began its quest to ascend up the ranks of the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Friday and Saturday, sitting in a tie for fourth after 36 holes of the 72-hole CCIW Championships at The Rail Golf Course.

The Cardinals, who finished fifth in last year's championships, posted a team score of 596, the best 36-hole mark ever posted by a North Central team at the CCIW Tournament. The total locks the Cardinals in a fourth-place tie with Millikin University. Illinois Wesleyan University is the current leader with 557.

North Central sat fifth after Friday's opening round, firing a 305, but bounced back with a three over-par team total of 291 on Saturday. Ideal conditions led to several low scores being posted in the second round, as 14 of the 40 players in the field turned in scores of even-par or better.

Illinois Wesleyan's Bennett Blakeman is the current individual leader with a six under-par total of 138. Joshua Brantner leads North Central's contingent, owning a one over-par score of 145. Chris Kaiser is 16th with 149, Nick Guido ranks 17th with 150, Matt Pierce is 23rd with 153, and Jacob Thompson is 28th with 155.

The Cardinals travel to Kenosha Country Club in Kenosha, Wis., on Tuesday for the Carthage College Spring Invitational before heading to Whisper Creek Country Club in Huntley, Ill., on May 1-2 for the final two rounds of the CCIW Championships.