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La Salle-Peru
Coach: Randy Gunia
Top returners: Will McLaughlin, sr.; Michael Milota, jr.; Riley Cetwinski, jr.
Key newcomers: Nick Olivero, jr.; Ben Nicholson, so.; Ethan Stachowiak, sr.; Jackson Sellett, jr.; Anthony Ambler, sr.; Adan Chiu, fr.
Worth noting: The Cavaliers lost a strong senior group from last year, including NewsTribune All-Area golfers Coleman Rundle and Carter Fenza, but do return McLaughlin, Milota and Cetwinski who saw some varsity action. Oliver, Nicholson, Stachowiak, Sellett, Ambler and Chiu are expected to be in the mix for the varsity lineup after improving in the offseason and turning in better scores during early practices. “We are looking to improve knowledge of the game, but even more, for the team and individuals to enjoy competitive golf. We have another year of strong participation, so those who have playing experience will again be looked to as the models like they were last season.”
St. Bede
Coach: Rich Cummings
Top returners: Logan Potthhoff, sr.; Ryan Slingsby, sr.; Luke Tunnell, sr.; Abraham Wiesbrock. sr.
Key newcomers: Christopher Gedraitis. so.; Zachary Husser, so.; Kaden Nauman, jr.
Worth noting: While the Bruins lost their No. 1 and 2 golfers, Potthhoff, Slingsby, Tunnell and Wiesbrock all contributed to last year’s regional championship and have hopes to continue that. Potthoff, the last of three brothers to play for the Bruins, is the team’s top returner after averaging a 45.1 last season. Slingsby contributed an 89 to the Bruins winning scorecard for the regional crown at Spring Creek. He averaged a 48.2 for the Bruins last season. Husser, Nauman and Gedraitis are eyeing a spot in the lineup as well as a “much improved” senior Henry Mertel. Senior newcomer Zach Popurella and junior Dominic Fonderoli round out the upperclassmen with Caden Carls and Noah Buck filling in the sophomore class. Judging by what he seen the first few days of practice, Cummings said some of the 10 freshmen out could contribute. The Bruins welcome home alum Sydney Eustice as a member of the coaching staff. “Bringing her playing and coaching experience back to the Academy is a great addition to the program,” Cummings said.
Hall
Coach: Mason Kimberley
Top returners: Landen Plym, jr.; Jacob Diax, jr.; Cody Orlandi, so.
Key newcomers: Noah Plym, fr.; Joseph Perez, fr.; Johnni Escatel, so.; Logan Corsolini, sr.
Worth noting: The Red Devils are young but have a very stronger leader in Landen Plym, who had a 37.9 average last season and qualified for the state tournament and “has some very lofty individual goals” this season. Freshman Noah Plym, Landen’s cousin, and Perez have shown strong potential. “Both players have a very high ceiling but will likely have some learning moments during the season,” Kimberley said. Diaz and Orlandi played varsity last season, while Escatel is a newcomer to the varsity lineup. Corsolini is new to the team as a senior but worked on his game over the summer and could see some varsity time. “This season’s varsity lineup will be very young but still talented enough to have around a .500 or better record,” Kimberley said. “We are very much looking forward to the 2023 season with potentially the entire varsity lineup returning, so 2023 is being looked at as more of a developmental year.”
Putnam County
Coach: Brandi LeQuia
Top returners: Miles Walder, Logan Keesee, Jacob Edens
Key newcomers: Trevor Balma, Jake Dove
Worth noting: In her first season as Putnam County coach, LeQuia has five players on the roster, including three returning players. “(Our goals are) to improve their skill levels and knowledge of the game,” LeQuia said.
Mendota
Coach: David Ross
Top returners: Owen Aughenbaugh, sr.; Cale Strouss, sr.; Brody Hart, so.
Key newcomers: Evan McPheeters, jr.; Dane Doyle, so.; Grady Jones, so.
Worth noting: The Trojans graduated six seniors from last year’s team, so Ross is looking for younger players to step up to fill spots in the varsity lineup. Aughenbaugh returns as a two-time sectional qualifier who averaged a 42 last year. “Owen has made it to sectionals the previous two years and he is on the hunt to qualify for state,” Ross said. “I know he will be going all in to make that happen.” Strouss and Hart each had a 46 average last fall. Ross said he expects McPheeters to be in the top six this season. “He has been playing a lot of golf this summer and working on his game,” Ross said. Sophomores Hart and Doyle got a taste of varsity action last fall. “I expect them to come back stronger with some experience under their belts,” Ross said. The Trojans are hoping to advance further in the postseason. “We have consistently put golfers into the sectional round of the state tournament,” Ross said. “Hopefully, this year we can get beyond that.”
Princeton
Coach: Brandon Crawford
Top returners: Kaiden Coomer, jr.; Tyson Phillips, sr.
Key newcomers: Jackson Mason, so.
Worth noting: Philips looks to carry over a strong postseason, which saw him shoot an 85 (16th place) to qualify for the 2A sectional at the Geneseo Regional and a team-best 87 in the Bartonville Sectional. He averaged a 45.8. “I’m looking forward to watching Tyson lead this year’s team. He has put in a lot of work on his game during the offseason, which I think will lead him to some success,” Crawford said. Coomer comes back from an injury that kept him out of the postseason last year. Other returning players for the Tigers are seniors Michael Ellis and Cail Piper, juniors Jayden Fulkerson, Nolan Kloepping and Luke Smith and sophomore Andrew Boughton. Newcomers to the team are juniors Zeke Klingenberg and Liam Swearingen and sophomores Mason, who joins the golf team coming over from soccer, and Cayden Benavidez and Jack Orwig along with freshmen Eli Coomer, Luke LaPorte, Brody Ross, Brody Spencer and Hayden Tibbitts. “This is going to be a very inexperienced varsity team losing four of our top six from last year. I know we are going to have our ups and downs as the majority of the roster will be first-time varsity players,” Crawford said. “We have some tremendous talent in our conference and our kids are going to have to learn to stay within themselves and their individual game and compete. I think if we can draw up a solid game plan each and every match and play smart golf we have a very good chance to compete.”
Bureau Valley
Coach: Jack Gustafson
Top returners: Landon Birdsley, jr.; Wyatt Novotny, so.; Colin Stabler, jr.
Key newcomers: Drake Michlig, jr.; Atticus Middleton, so.; Logan Philhower, so.
Worth noting: The Storm have one of the top young shining stars in Novotny, who carried a team-best average of 40 as a freshman. He shot an 87 to help the Storm to a third-place finish in the St. Bede Regional and led the Storm with an 85 at the sectional at TPC John Deere Run. Birdsley (45) and Stabler (47) join Novotny to give the Storm a good nucleus to build around. “All three have been putting the time in playing golf over the summer and showing the benefits of their efforts,” Gustafson said. Bureau Valley has 18 golfers this year, including experienced JV members of seniors Payne Lind and Tyler Birkey, junior Landen Smith and sophomore Sean Kendall who could be vying for varsity playing time. Freshmen squad members are Noah Donaway, Tyler Donnelly, Cody Galassi, Colton Maubach-Williams, William Miller, Jack Nickelsen, Trevor Roberts and Drake Taylor.
Amboy-LaMoille
Coach: Zach Ross
Top returners: Logan O’Brien, jr.; Carson Barlow, jr.
Key newcomers: Hayden Wilstead, jr.; Jason Dickinson, fr.; Michael Ackert, fr.; Gage Mumm, fr.
Worth noting: The Clippers suffered heavy losses to graduation, including state qualifier Wes Wilson. O’Brien and Barlow are the team’s lone experienced players. “We’re just going to be working on improving all year long,” Ross said.
Earlville
Coach: Dillon Reel
Top returners: Ryan Browder, sr.; Trenton Fruit, sr.; Rocco Morsovillo, sr.; Joseph Jungles, sr.; Grady Harp, jr.; Easton Fruit, jr.; Virgil Ackley, jr.; Jonathan Anderson, so.
Key newcomers: Aaden Browder, fr.
Worth noting: The Red Raiders are loaded with experience as they did not graduate any golfers from last season. “Hopefully, it’ll help us out a lot,” Reel said. “A lot of them have been playing all summer. The biggest thing is familiarity with the courses we play every year, especially within the conference.” Although Earlville has a veteran roster, Aaden Browder will be the team’s No. 1 golfer in his first high school season after qualifying for state in junior high. “The goal is always to make it to state,” Reel said. “This team, if they’re all on, they can move past the regional.”
Fieldcrest
Coach: Travis Nix
Top returners: Connor Reichman, sr.; Nathan Buchanan, jr.
Key newcomers: Carter Senko, fr.
Worth noting: Reichman returns for Fieldcrest after making a sectional appearance last season. Nix said Buchanan also is hoping to become a sectional qualifier this fall, while Senko has made an impression at practice after playing a lot over the summer.
Henry-Senachwine
Coach: Max Kirbach
Top returners: Carson Rowe, so.; Jacob Miller, so.; Lance Kiesewetter, sr.; Nolan Dunshee, sr.
Key newcomers: Landon Harbison, fr.; Ben Meachum, so.
Worth noting: The Mallards return a strong core of experienced players, led by Rowe who was team MVP last fall after averaging a 42 and qualifying for sectional. Miller (52 average) also was a sectional qualifier, while Kiesewetter (50) and Dunshee (51) also return to the varsity lineup. Harbison and Meachum will fill the holes left by graduation. “Goals for the team this year are to finish top half of the (Tri-County) conference and be able to advance in regionals,” Kirbach said. “We had two players advance individually last year, and once again our goal would be to get a couple guys out if the team were to not advance. Carson Rowe and Jacob Miller especially have been putting in a lot of work this summer and I expect their averages to drop substantially.”