Team Peoria's seven-year winning streak in the River Cup Senior competition is on the line

By Steve Stein

Will history repeat itself this weekend in the River Cup Senior competition at Lick Creek Golf Course in Pekin? 
Team Peoria golfers sure hope so. Back in 2020, the last time Lick Creek hosted the River Cup, Team Peoria fell behind Team Tazwood 5-1 after the first day best ball matches.
The singles matches on the second day were a different story. Team Peoria won eight of the 12 matches, halved another, and rallied to beat Team Tazewell 9.5 to 8.5. 
That come-from-behind victory is part of a run of seven wins in a row and 11 victories in 13 years for Team Peoria that has given the golfers from west of the Illinois River an 18-7 advantage in the annual series, now in its 26th year.
Team Tazwood has won only twice since 2012, in 2012 and 2017.
This could be the year the tide turns in Team Tazwood's favor, predicts long-time Team Peoria captain Tim Walters. Then again, maybe not.
"This could be the most competitive River Cup Senior match in a decade, or we could get slaughtered. I'm preaching to our guys that we're the underdog," said Walters, who is playing in the River Cup for the 14th year and is in his 12th year as the Team Peoria captain.
"They (Team Tazwood) have five or six new good young golfers, and we're getting older," Walters said. "But if we play well, we can keep it close."
In addition to the new players on the Team Tazwood roster, a familiar face has returned. After playing in the River Cup Men's competition last year, Tim Saurs has returned to the Senior (age 50 and older) division.
"Tim is amazing," Walters said. "At age 68, he's a scratch golfer."
Team Peoria's lengthy hot streak has been fueled by a solid core of nine or 10 golfers, Walters said, while Team Tazwood has had more turnover amongst its roster.
Eric Dicks is the Team Tazwood captain.
Here's the schedule of this weekend's River Cup Senior competition matches:

SATURDAY'S MATCHES
BEST BALL
(Team Peoria golfers listed first)
-- Rick Lehew/Rod Jackson vs. Tom Oshinski/Ed Whitaker, 8:30 a.m.
-- Tom Hammerton/Tim Walters vs. Tim Saurs/Eric Dicks, 8:40 a.m.
-- Mark Greskoviak/Jeff Ott vs. Barry Neal/Ken Gibson, 8:50 a.m.
-- Tim Krause/Bob Chung vs. Derek Anderson/Jim Olt, 9 a.m.
-- Dan Moran/Adam Angst vs. Scott Hooste/Chris Fort, 9:10 a.m.
-- Bo Cleveland/Jeff White vs. Scott Belsly/Chris Frasco, 9:20 a.m.

SUNDAY'S MATCHES
SINGLES
-- Rick Lehew vs. Barry Neal, 7:30 a.m.
-- Rod Jackson vs. Ken Gibson, 7:30 a.m.
-- Bob Chung vs. Tim Saurs, 7:40 a.m.
-- Tim Krause vs. Eric Dicks, 7:40 a.m.
-- Tom Hammerton vs. Tom Oshinski, 7:50 a.m.
-- Tim Walters vs. Ed Whitaker, 7:50 a.m.
-- Bo Cleveland vs. Scott Hooste, 8 a.m.
-- Jeff White vs. Chris Fort, 8 a.m.
-- Dan Moran vs. Derek Anderson, 8:10 a.m.
-- Adam Angst vs. Jim Olt, 8:10 a.m.
-- Mark Greskoviak vs. Scott Belsly, 8:20 a.m.
-- Jeff Ott vs. Chris Frasco, 8:20 a.m.