By Carter Crane –
Cameron Parker’s 30-foot putt on the 18th green in the second of two days in the 36-hole Aurora city golf tournament was no accident. Putting is the strength of the 29-year-old former Aurora University golf star who was Northern Illinois Athletic Conference Player of the Year his senior season.
“I did drive it well (Sunday), but I am never in the driver part of my game. I try to shoot par. I was up and down in 13 and 16 and birdied 17 and 18. Putting is my game. I usually hit it short.”
Carter Crane/The Voice
Parker shot 71-73-144 to win the 87th annual Aurora tournament. He won by two strokes over Jason Frantzen and Alex Kline-Weden, each 74-72-146. Frantzen was given the second place trophy on a back- nine card comparison.
Parker gave up golf a few years ago and Kline-Weden, a former Aurora University teammate, helped to bring him back. Parker, originally from Muncie, Ind., lives and works in Chicago. In a few weeks he will play in Kalamazoo, Mich. in the U.S. amateur qualifying and seek a berth in the national tournament.
Frantzen is a four-time Aurora champion, last in 2015. Chuck Vanhorn won A flight with 79-73-152; Rodney Davis won B flight with 83-77-160; Lino Rojas won C flight; and Chad Saracino won D flight.
• The West Aurora High School Big Butts football lineman event was Thursday last week. There were three classes, 25 schools. Host West Aurora #1 won the first class. In Class two it was Batavia #1, Batavia #3, and Crystal Lake South #1. In Class 3 it was Aurora Central Catholic #2, Glenbard East #1 and Marengo. Events included 40-yard dash, medicine ball, agility run, tractor tire relay, five-man sled, tug of war, and to ward off the heat, the watermelon carry. Batavia #3 won the last event. Other school included Burlington Central, Downers Grove North, East Aurora, Geneva, Glenbard East, Hinsdale South, Kaneland, Oswego, Plainfield East, Plano, Wheaton North, and Yorkville.
• North Central College’s Tommy Koth, basketball player at West Aurora, was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches for academic excellence. He started the final four games of the season.
• The Aurora American Legion League baseball playoffs are expected to start in the upcoming weekend. Kiwanis Club of Aurora won the Aurora Pony League championship (see photo here), Aurora Police won the major division, and Jungels Electric, a perennial top team, won the minors division for the youngest boys.
• The Northern Illinois University football team was selected division favorite for the first time since 2013 in the Mid-American Conference West. They anointment was Tuesday at MAC media day in Detroit. The Huskies received 133 points among media members. Toledo, 125; and West Michigan, 87, followed in order. Ohio was selected first in the East Division.
• There will be an international friendly soccer match at East Aurora High School at 5 p. m. August 4 at East Aurora High School with all-star players from Mexico. The event will include autographs and photographs.
• Naperville Park District junior tennis tournament champions at Knoch Park: Aerahan Skanthakumar, 16 and under; Emmanuel Antony, 14 and under; Brandon Dumbell, 12 and under; Mehar Kaur, 10 and under.