Northwest Herald boys golf preview: 5 to watch in 2025

Nolan Adamczyk, Hampshire, sr.

Adamczyk finished second at the Fox Valley Conference Tournament with a 68 and was crowned the conference’s end-of-season points champion. He won the Class 3A Dundee-Crown Regional individual title, carding a 70, but missed state by one shot with a 76 at sectionals.

Logan Henning, Jacobs, so.

Henning made a name for himself as a freshman, taking sixth at the FVC Meet with a 73, which was only one shot from third. Henning carded an 83 at regionals and was a part of the Golden Eagles’ team that advanced to sectionals. He shot a 78 at the Class 3A Jacobs Sectional, three shots off the state cut.

Asher Johnson, Crystal Lake Central, jr.

Johnson qualified for state in his second varsity season, tying for 40th overall in Class 3A with a 79-77-156. The impressive sophomore placed 10th at the FVC Tournament with 76 and fourth in the FVC end-of-season point standings. He grabbed one of the final spots for state at sectionals with a 75.

Tommy Laird, Crystal Lake Central, jr.

Laird returns to a strong Tigers’ team that finished third at the FVC Meet, one shot from Jacobs in second and four from Burlington Central in first. Laird tied for seventh at conference with a 74 and shot an 81 (tied for 12th) at the Class 3A Dundee-Crown Regional title, which the Tigers won by two shots over Huntley.

Tyler Samaan, Burlington Central, sr.

Samaan, the 2024 Northwest Herald Boys Golfer of the Year, helped lead the Rockets to the FVC Tournament championship by taking medalist honors with a 68. He placed runner-up at regionals with a 73 and fifth at sectionals (75) as Central qualified for the Class 2A state meet for the second straight season. The Rockets placed third at state for the program’s best finish, and Samaan was 11th individually with an 80-70-150.