1986 Golf Team (1998)

The 1986 Golf Team won the first IHSA State Championship in Loyola's illustrious history. Team captains Jeff Flakus, Ted Meyer and Joe Bartosz provided the veteran leadership that allowed the team to overcome a disappointing loss to start the season, the only blemish on a perfect season. The highlight of the dual meet season was a decisive victory over the top-ranked New Trier. Winning the prestigious Chevy Chase Invitational, led by medalist Jeff Flakus, provided the momentum that the Ramblers needed to begin their championship play. The team's first goal was to avenge the previous year's disappointing second place finish at the Catholic League Championship. Claiming five of the top six finishers, led by medalist Ted Meyer, propelled Loyola to a 23 shot victory. Going into the state tournament, Coach Jim Jackimiec chose his six players, mixing a good balance of experience and youth. Ted Meyer, Jeff Flakus, Joe Bartosz, Tim Magner, Brett Nelson and Casey Kenny were destined to make Loyola history. A first place finish at the Regionals and a second at the Sectionals paved the way to Pekin, Illinois, and Lick Creek Golf Course. After Friday's first round, the Ramblers found themselves in a position that they hadn't been in for a while. They were nine shots out of the lead. Coach Jackimiec said, "We took a look at things Friday and thought we needed a 310 to make up the shots." On a cold and windy fall day, Loyola didn't shoot their goal of 310, but their score of 320 was more than enough to lead them to victory, a whopping 14 strokes ahead of runner-up New Trier. More impressively, Ted Meyer stormed back from being out of contention with a one-under 71 to win the individual championship. Despite Ted Meyer's outstanding individual achievement, he remained a true team player. "It's a great help to have your teammates with you," he said. "If you advance individually, you're playing for yourself. If you're there with the team, you're playing for everybody else, too." The 1986 Golf Team will go down in history, not only for what they accomplished, but how they accomplished it: first class people winning a first place trophy. Joseph A. Bartosz, capt., Casey M. Kenny, Brian W. Oakes, David A. Decker, John E. Kenny, Daniel B. Reidy, Jeffrey Daniel Flakus, capt., Timothy J. Magner, Pat Riley, Tom Fitgerald, Theodore R. Meyer, capt., David J. Servatius, Michael A. Kelly, Brett A. Nelson, Thomas A. Stummer, Mike Kelly, Christopher R. Neylan, Steven C. Westol, James M. Jackimiec, Coach