Wicklunds win first Quarterback Club title on cool, wet Friday

HURLEY — Brothers Cory Wicklund, of Montreal, and Jeremy Wicklund, of Appleton, overcame a strong field of 76 teams and miserable weather conditions to win their first Hurley Quarterback Club golf tournament at the Eagle Bluff Golf Club on Friday. They shot a 64.

Tim Steiger, of Bessemer, and Jack Croci, of Hurley, who have won this event four times, were runners-up this time with a 65.

The Wicklunds were ecstatic with their low round in the foggy, rainy, cold weather.

“We were hoping for bad weather because we’re good in this,” Jeremy Wicklund said. “Off the tee and in the fairway, I gave Cory nothing. Snap hooks, balls in the woods. I never played a two-man scramble and saw a golfer hit more clutch shots. And that was Cory.”

But Cory Wicklund said Jeremy wasn’t giving himself enough credit.

“It was a great team effort,” Cory Wicklund said. “Jeremy was money on putts on every hole. Jeremy made 15 putts. I putted three times and made one. We ham-and-egged it. We had to make sure we stayed ahead of Steiger and Croci. Seven birdies and a bogey on No. 2 and we missed a 4-footer for another birdie.”

The only reason the Wicklunds were in the tournament was because Jeremy was inducted into the Hurley High School Athletic Hall of Fame and automatically qualified for the tournament with a partner.

“I will never miss this golf tournament,” Jeremy Wicklund said. “This tournament is for a cause and it’s the most well-run event I’ve ever seen. The whole football team was out there freezing their butts off and that was impressive.”

The Hurley players were decked out in their football jerseys, chatted with the golfers on the course and helped out as needed.

The golf tournament raises thousands of dollars for the Quarterback Club, which helps support Hurley’s football program. Head coach Scott Erickson said it is really needed.

“One hundred percent of the money benefits the program,” Erickson said. “It’s expensive to do things and budgets are very tight. This keeps us strong. Lots of things are funded through this.”

Erickson was even more happy to see the “great” alumni support the football program continues to receive. He said that the support from the from the alumni, the Quarterback Club and the fans is what makes coaching in Hurley special to him.

“There was a ton of orange and black out there today,” Erickson said. “It’s like a family or class reunion with a fun attitude.”

Erickson likes to say: “The sun always shines on the Hurley Quarterback Club golf tournament;” but perhaps he tempted the weather gods one too many times. Temperatures hovered in the low to mid 50s and the wind chill fell into the 40s. Then came the drizzly rain and fog with some wind thrown in.

The golfers had to feel they were playing at St. Andrews or Muirfield in the British Open.

“There was lake affect rain and the course was already saturated,” Erickson said. “And it was cold. But we were all still having a good time and we love being here.”

In the first hurdle, or flight, Joe Shafer and Jeremy Richards fired a 72 to take first place, while Alec Gulan and Bucky Laabs posted a 73 for the second spot.

Cory Corullo and Dave Nyquist (76) took the second hurdle by edging Dennis Smith and Joe Dennis (76) on the scorecard.

The Quarterback Club will hold its annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony today at noon in the Hurley K-12 School. Inductees include Kyle Elsmore, Sarah Tarasewicz, John Allice and the 1987-88 Hurley girls’ basketball team.

Results

Championship Huddle

1. Cory and Jeremy Wicklund, 64; 2. Tim Steiger and Jack Croci, 65; 3. Shawn Erickson and Steve Sorenson, 67.

First Hurdle

1. Joe Shafer and Jeremy Richards, 72; 2. Alec Gulan and Bucky Laabs, 73; 3. Mike Stuart and Geoffrey Nevala, 73.

Second Huddle

1. Cory Corullo and Dave Nyquist, 76; 2. Dennis Smith ands Joe Dennis, 76; 3. Roy Kallas and Jerry Olson, 77.

Third Huddle

1. Mike Swartz Sr. and Marcus Swartz, 78; 2. Gary Gotta and Mark Gotta, 78; 3. Tom Innes and Steph Smith, 78.

Fourth Huddle

1. Steve Harma and Jerry Rice, 82; 2. Josh Kretzchmar and Tony Saari, 82; 3. Pat O’Brien and Duane Harma 82.

Fifth Hurdle

1. Scott Hewitt and Neil Gilbertson, 86; 2. Mark and Tony Reinerio, 87; 3. Todd Zanella and Tate Boho, 88.