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The 2023 boys golf season is underway, and here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.
Oswego
Coach: Chad Pohlmann
Top returning players: Michael Holmstrom, so.; Jack Wolcott, jr.; Matt Matile, jr.; Justin Winters, sr.
Top new players: Declan Chavez, fr.; Robbie Wilson, jr.
Worth noting: The Panthers return four players – Holmstrom, Wolcott, Matile and Winters – from the team that placed third at regionals and qualified for sectionals last year. Holmstrom has the best average among the returners. Pohlmann said Wolcott “can hit it a ton” and will be able to help with improved putting and wedge play. Matile is another player who worked hard in the offseason and is capable of playing in the 70s. Chavez is a freshman with a chance to be very successful.
“Looking to improve our conference standings and make it back to sectionals,” Pohlmann said. “Our conference will be very tough with Minooka, Plainfield North and Oswego East being good again.”
Oswego East
Coach: Jim Vera
Top returning players: Connor Banks, sr.; Logan Hong, so.; Patrick Malm, sr.; Andy Lewis, sr.
Top new players: Zach Johnson, so.; Cooper Price, jr.; Jack Streicher, jr.; Alex Sockza, jr.
Worth noting: The Wolves took third at the Southwest Prairie Conference and SPC meet last year, led by conference champion Banks, and took second as a team at regionals to qualify for sectionals. Banks comes off a spectacular debut varsity season, as the Record Newspapers Player of the Year won the conference meet and took second at regionals. Hong was all-conference as a freshman, while Lewis lost in a playoff at sectionals to go downstate. Leading the newcomers is Johnson, the fresh-soph SPC tournament champion last year.
“Connor is a great leader, and one of the hardest working athletes that I have ever had the pleasure to coach. He and sophomore Logan Hong have been playing tournaments all summer and are ready to go!,” Vera said. “We have a lot of depth, as juniors like Cooper, Alex and Jack spent most of their summers on golf courses around Kendall County. There is a lot of excitement, and we had a very competitive tryout this week. Our senior captains, Connor, Andy Lewis and Patrick Malm provide their wisdom and experience and keep things a lot of fun.
“It may be hard to recreate the fun that we had last season, but I know that they will do their best to somehow keep things light, but also very focused all year long. We may not be able to sneak up on people anymore in a very competitive SPC, but we are going to try to make some noise once again, especially come tournament time with our nice blend of experience and youth.
Parkview Christian
Coach: Mike Oudyn
Top returning players: Ethan New, sr.; Joanna Oudyn, sr.; Kyle Schwartz, jr.
Top new players: Kashton Wilson, so.; Trenton Hennig, fr.; Gavin Lambes, sr.; Griffin Lambes, jr.; Landon Malkowski, so.
Worth noting: Parkview Christian looks for significant improvement with much greater depth. The Falcons had just five varsity players and one JV player last year, with the lone dual meet win over Plano, but this season is up to seven varsity and seven JV players. One of the newcomers, Wilson, is expected to be Parkview Christian’s No. 1 player this season.
“Overall the team is poised to make a significant improvement in 2023, and there is much excitement about the golf team!” coach Oudyn said.
Plano
Coach: Scott Smith
Top returning players: Camden Winkler, so.; Trenton Waskow, so.; Adam Kee, so.; Brandon Casas, so.; James McTighe, sr.; Braden Lee, jr.; Christopher Schweitzer, jr.
Worth noting: The Reapers went 0-12 in dual meets last season. Smith noted that a number of the boys were first or second-year golfers. “Throughout the season last year, each one improved a great deal,” Smith said. " I am hoping that they can continue that growth and improvement this year.” Plano’s lineup is boosted by seven new freshmen and sophomores out for the team.
Sandwich
Coach: Mike Butler
Top returning players: Noah Campbell, jr.; Kai Kern, so.; Dino Barbanente, sr.; Kadin Kern, sr.; Chance Lange, sr.
Top new players: Jacob Clevenger, jr.; Colten Oakes, jr.
Worth noting: The Indians join a new league, the Kishwaukee River Conference, with an experienced group. Leading the way is Campbell, a sectional qualifier and all-conference honorable mention pick last year. Kadin Kern, like Campbell, is a two-time letter winner.
“It’s a luxury to have five guys returning with so much experience at the varsity level not to mention a group of newcomers who are waiting in the wings for their opportunity to contribute,” Butler said. “Our improvement last season was a testament to how hard these boys work and their willingness to put in the time to get better, two traits that have continued coming into this season. They are a competitive bunch who push each other to get better, and I think we will only get better as the season goes along. "
Serena-Newark Huskers
Coach: Chad Baker (18th year)
Top returnees: Carson Baker, sr.; Hunter Staton, sr.; Beau Raikes, jr.; Payton Twait, so.; Garett Snyder, so.
Top newcomers: Richie Armour, sr.; Jaden Anderson, jr.; Cash Raikes, so.; Hendrix Johnson, fr.; Carter Meyer, fr.; Mannix Truckenbrod, fr.; Blake Adams, sr.; Payton Wills, jr.; Shawn Seyller, fr.; David Ulrich, fr.; Jackson Walker, jr.
Worth noting: The Serena-Newark golf team finished last season as Little Ten Conference tourney champions, Seneca Invite champions, and sent two individuals (Cam Figgins and Hudson Stafford) to sectionals. But the team graduated three of its top players so some new faces will get plenty of action this year. Baker said this is the largest number of players signed up for several years. The last two years have been heavily Serena players, but this year there are six Newark players signed up. Baker and Staton played full-time varsity matches last season. Raikes and Twait both played a few varsity matches and will be expected to increase that this year.
“Not sure what to expect from us as a team,” Baker said. “We lack experience in varsity matches, so it might take a while to figure out the best combination for our tourneys.”
Yorkville
Coach: Cody Wyeth
Top returning players: Justin Goebel, sr.; Aidan Matson, sr.; Tommy Scott, sr.; Carter Humbers, so.; Joe Zook, jr.; Ayden Springborn, jr.; Ethan Hanson. jr.
Top new players: Even Peterson, jr.; Brandon McPherson, jr.
Worth noting: Goebel is a returning state qualifier who led the regular season in points for the SPC conference last season as an individual and finished second overall in points for the individual honors for the conference. Matson is a returning sectional qualifier and Scott was one stroke away from reaching sectionals.
“Yorkville looks to use the mix of juniors and returning seniors to hopefully have a lot of depth in our lineups and put together runs at the stacked SPC conference as well as possibly working toward getting out of a regional as a team or at least a few individuals,” Wyeth said.