2025 Record Newspapers boys golf preview capsules

The 2025 boys golf season is underway. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Oswego

Coach: Chad Pohlmann

Top returning players: Michael Holstrom, sr.; Sam Rimington, sr.; Declan Chavez, jr.; Carter Anderson, jr.; Jax Baker, jr.; Charlie Cooney, jr.

Top new players: Colton Bolman; Anderson Schmidt.

Worth noting: Oswego returns seven of its 10 players from a team that finished fourth in the Southwest Prairie Conference last year and fourth at regionals, finishing one shot from advancing as a team to sectionals. Pohlmann noted that Holmstrom won a few IJGA events this summer and Rimington shot in the high 70s to low 80s. Leading a talented junior class are Chavez and Anderson, returning sectional qualifiers who both played an “accomplished summer schedule” and both have shot under par. Anderson finished seventh at the 2024 conference meet and Chavez 14th. Cooney shot an under par round as a sophomore. It’s a group that won JV conference as freshmen. Oswego took second at its season-opening Panther Stableford.

“We expect to be in the mix to win the SPC and regional championship,” Pohlmann said.

Oswego East

Coach: Jim Vera

Top returning players: Logan Hong, sr.; Zach Johnson, sr.; Jack Malm, so.; Brayden Rusin, sr.; Casey Wiencek, sr.

Top new player: Jack Steele, so.

Worth noting: Oswego East took second place in the Southwest Prairie Conference last year, third at the conference tournament and fifth at regionals. The team set a school record for a nine-hole match (145) and 18-hole tournament (298, at conference).

Hong, the 2024 Record Newspapers Player of the Year, leads the returning players. Hong took 72nd at state with a two-day score of 12-over par, 12th at the sectional meet, eighth at regionals and had a team-low 38.38 nine-hole average. Malm and Johnson, fifth and sixth respectively, at the conference meet, also return, Johnson also a returning sectional qualifier who had a 38.71 nine-hole average. Oswego East shot a 294 to win the season-opening Panther Stableford. Johnson shot a 3-under par 69 for second individually, Malm a 71 for fifth.

“The return of a strong core of seniors (and Malm) give cause for an optimistic outlook for the upcoming season,“ Vera said.  ”This core, along with Steele, has worked very hard in the offseason and put the time in. Among our goals is to compete for the SPC title in a very strong conference and do well in the SPC tournament, as we are hosting.  We hope to advance to sectionals and get multiple players downstate.  Johnson and Hong (along with Rusin and Wiencek) give us strong senior leadership and lead by example through their preparation and commitment to excellence.”

Parkview Christian

Coach: Todd Hennig

Top returning players: Trenton Hennig, jr.; Collin Mulder, jr.; Landon Malkowski, sr.

Worth noting: Parkview Christian last fall took second as a team at the regional meet to advance to sectionals. Trenton Hennig shot an 84 for third individually at regionals to lead the way, but is coming off a very recent left-hand break over the summer.

“Many of our players are very athletic and talented, which allows them to play multiple sports,” coach Hennig said. “Over 90% of our golfers will be competing in not only golf, but also fall baseball this year. Allocating time appropriately to each sport, as well as staying on point with studies will be the ongoing thesis for this year’s team.”

Plano

Coach: Scott Smith

Top returning players: Camden Winkler, sr.; Quentin Santoria, jr.; Brandon Ramos, sr.

Top new players: Adrian Lazarit, Daniel Luman.

Worth noting: The Reapers graduated just two members of last year’s squad. Plano is returning four varsity starters from last year, led by Winkler, Santoria and Ramos. Several others are poised to make the jump from JV to varsity.

“The players have worked hard over the summer and are looking forward to having a much more competitive season this year,” Smith said.

Sandwich

Coach: Mike Butler

Top returning players: Alex Bland, jr.; Nathan Ripsky, jr.; Braden Ballard, sr.; Kaden Clevenger, sr.; Ethan French, sr.; Kyle Michels, sr.; Nolan Oros, sr.; Brock Sondgeroth, sr.

Top new players: Kai Kern, sr.; Jacob Cassie, sr.

Worth noting: The Indians went 12-4 in dual meets last season, 4-2 in the Kishwaukee River Conference, to finish in second place behind Johnsburg and also took second to Johnsburg at the conference meet. Butler is in his 14th season as head coach, 21st total in the program. They’ll look to break through and capture a conference title with several returning players. Oros, an all-conference 11th last year, just missed out on qualifying for the state tournament and enters his fourth year in the program. He was a sectional qualifier last year with Noah Campbell, since graduated, as Sandwich took fifth as a team at regionals.

Kern is back for his third year in the program after playing football last fall and took second at the season-opening Sandwich Invitational. Michels is in his fourth year in the program, Ballard his third and Clevenger his second. Bland and Ripsky are both in their third year.

Yorkville

Coach: Cody Wyeth

Top returning players: Ian Saar, so.; Carter Humbers, sr.; Graham Martinson, so.; Max Homerding, sr.; Brody Dryden, jr.; Robert Hren, sr.

Worth noting: The Foxes took sixth at the Southwest Prairie Conference meet last year, and also sixth at the regional meet. Humbers was 14th at conference, Saar 27th and Homerding 39th. Yorkville was 11th at the season-opening Panther Stableford. Saar shot a 75 for 12th and Humbers a 79 for 32nd.