High school boys golf season preview: Jacobs returns 2 All-FVC players

After his team won 12 of 13 tournaments last season, Jacobs boys golf coach Gary Conrad had every reason to believe the Golden Eagles would make a deep postseason run and place at the Class 3A state tournament.

With a talented group of upperclassmen led by seniors Justin Lenzini, Billy Walker and Cooper Slack, Jacobs swept through the Fox Valley Conference, winning the FVC Valley Division title and beating Cary-Grove by two strokes to capture the FVC Tournament championship.

After winning the Crystal Lake South Regional by five strokes (Jacobs’ third straight regional title) the next week, the Eagles teed off last at the Rockford East Sectional and were one of three local teams to shoot a 306, along with Prairie Ridge and Cary-Grove. All three fell short of making state.

“We were on fire last year. On fire,” Conrad said. “We shoot the lowest regional score, so we go off last [at sectionals], and that wind came – 35 mph gusts started to hit, and it just ate us up. If we would have played it in the morning, I think we would have made it down to state. But that’s golf.”

Jacobs loses Lenzini, Walker and Slack (each all-conference members), but returns sophomore Garrett Tighe and junior Riley Coakley, both all-conference members as underclassmen. Tighe was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team selection as a freshman.

The Eagles also return junior Daniel Leitner, who earned the McHenry County Junior Golf Association’s Junior Boys Player of the Year this summer.

“Hopefully, we can put it all together on those days we need it, you know,” Conrad said. “I think Tighe and Coakley will be our top guys, and hopefully we have some guys fill in on the back.”

“Expectations are high,” said Tighe, who was second in the Illinois Junior Golf Association’s Player of the Year Championship Tournament on Aug. 8. “Me, Riley and Dan will try to carry the team, and show the younger guys. We’re just going to try to do what [the graduating seniors] did, I guess. They set the example.”

Although Jacobs is the reigning FVC champion, Prairie Ridge might be the top contender. Senior Ethan Farnam is the defending Northwest Herald Boys Golfer of the Year and is coming off a second-place finish at the Class 3A state tournament. He was the medalist at regionals with a 65 and runner-up at sectionals with a 69 (losing in a playoff).

Cameron Karney, an all-FVC pick, will be Prairie Ridge’s No. 2. The Wolves also return solid scorers in Stephen Nalepa, James Michaelson and Dominic Leli.

Cary-Grove’s Zach Beaugureau came on strong late last season, taking third at the FVC Tournament and shooting a 76 at sectionals. Crystal Lake South could be among

the top teams in the FVC with three sectional qualifiers returning, and Hampshire has two.

In the new Kishwaukee River Conference, Johnsburg will look to build off last year’s second-place finish at regionals (Class 2A). Senior Grant Fisher shined in the postseason, earning the Big Northern Conference Tournament title, medalist honors at regionals and advancing to state.

“His talent and potential is remarkable and will be extremely exciting to watch as he finishes off his senior year,” first-year Johnsburg coach Evan Haase said of Fisher, who was 12th at state.

Elsewhere, Marengo’s Connor Wascher earned medalist honors at regionals last year and returns for his senior year, Richmond-Burton is coming off a sectional appearance, and Harvard returns five upperclassmen. In the East Suburban Catholic Conference, Marian Central is coming off a runner-up finish at regionals and returns three seniors and one junior to lead the way.