2022 Northwest Herald boys golf team preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Burlington Central

Coach: Thomas Davies (eighth season)

Last season: FVC Tournament runners-up

Top returners: Ivan Larson, sr.; CJ Strout, sr.; Matthew Lemon, sr.

Key newcomers: Matthew Kowalik, so.; Camden Sarallo, so.

Worth noting: The Rockets placed third at the Class 2A Sandwich Regional to advance to sectionals, where they took sixth. Tyson Malak and Cody Leon both advanced to state and graduated. Malak tied for the best local finish at the 2A state tournament with a 72-75-147 (tied for 13th). … Malak, Leon and Chaz Rutke, who also graduated, earned All-FVC honors. … Larson was the Rockets’ fourth scorer at the FVC Tournament. … Davies is excited to lead a team with many new faces. … “While we graduated a lot of great senior talent, I’m excited about the youth movement on our team,” Davies said. “We might not have individuals who go as low as some kids last year, but could have even more depth this year. It wouldn’t surprise me if this team made a serious run at conference and an impressive postseason run.”

Cary-Grove

Coach: Chris Gotsch (ninth season)

Last season: Seventh at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Maddux Tarasievich, sr.; Erik Pietrzyk, jr.; Kyle Kotlarczyk, jr.; Ben Johnson, jr.

Key newcomers: Joey Boldt, so.; Brock Iverson, so.; Matthew Nagaj, so.

Worth noting: Tarasievich was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team selection and the Trojans’ lone All-FVC member last season. He shot an 84 at the FVC Tournament and 75 at sectionals. He qualified for the Class 3A state tournament and tied for 63rd with a two-day score of 80-77-157. Tarasievich shot a 73 to win the Crystal Lake South Invite on Thursday. … Gotsch thinks the Trojans could be a surprise team in the FVC. … “Having Maddux put in so much time and effort and reach his goal of getting down to [state] has been contagious,” Gotsch said. “We have had several players step it up this summer and compete in more MCJGA and IJGA tournaments, which is exciting to see. With up-and-comers led by Kyle Kotlarczyk, Ben Johnson and Joey Boldt, we should make that next step and surprise a few people in the FVC.”

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Matt LePage (fourth season)

Last season: FVC Tournament, overall season champion

Top returners: Jack Bice, so.; Charles Polash, so.; Jake Kenefick, jr.

Key newcomers: Carter Blum so.; Hayden Hoekstra, sr.; Jack Dobbeck, so.; Conor Naughton, so.; Rogan Reicher, sr.

Worth noting: The Tigers are going to look different this fall, with the majority of last year’s conference champions no longer on the team. Central won the FVC title for the second straight season and placed fifth at the Class 2A state tournament. … Eric Klutke, the 2021 Northwest Herald Boys Golfer of the Year, tied for the best local 2A finish at state with a 72-75-147 (tied for 13th). Klutke earned medalist honors at the Marengo Regional and was sixth at the Sycamore Sectional. … Bayden Hubacher and Christian Wakeford also were All-Area first-team selections. Hubacher was sixth at conference, third at regionals, fourth at sectionals and tied for 28th at state. Wakeford tied for seventh at regionals, tied for third at sectionals and tied for 35th at state. … “This is a full reset at the top of our lineup after the last few years of Klutke, Hubacher and Wakeford,” LePage said. “Looking forward to seeing who is going to emerge from this young group of kids and who has really put time into their game since the end of last season.”

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Curt Wadlington (17th season)

Last season: Ninth at FVC Tournament

Top returner: Nate Stewart, sr.

Key newcomers: Cooper LePage, sr.; Cam Miller, sr.

Worth noting: The Gators placed second at the conference tournament in 2020 but fell to ninth last season. … Stewart, an All-Area second-team pick, placed fourth at conference with an 80 and was runner-up in the FVC’s end-of-season points standings. Stewart shot an 81 at the Class 2A Sycamore Sectional but did not qualify for state. He shot an 84 at South’s season-opening tournament at Boulder Ridge on Thursday. … Graduate Bryce Sturm, last year’s FVC points champion, also was an All-Area second-team choice. Sturm took runner-up at the conference tournament with an 85. … “We have a lot of new athletes in the program, we will build on solid team culture and see where it goes,” Wadlington said. “I look forward to seeing the team improve each week and spending time with some quality people, which comprise this team.”

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Bob Sweeney (19th season)

Last season: 10th at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Jake Russell, sr.; Mason Morawski, sr.; Jared Russell, so.

Key newcomers: Gavin Dougherty, sr.; Camden Schmeiser, jr.; Jack Sundstedt, jr.; Kai Klancnik, so.

Worth noting: The Chargers slipped from seventh to 10th in the FVC Tournament but had a strong postseason with four individuals advancing to sectionals. D-C took fourth as a team at sectionals behind Barrington, Huntley and Jacobs. … Russell was an All-Area honorable mention pick and among the top scorers in the FVC’s end-of-season points standings. Russell shot an 84 at the FVC Tournament and led the team with an 83 at sectionals. The other three to advance to sectionals – Chris Przybylak, Yash Dulla and Jason Huber – all graduated. … Sweeney is excited to see what his No. 1 golfer can do. … “I feel confident Jake will post consistent scores that will provide a competitive foundation in each match or tournament we play. I am excited to watch our progress over the course of the next two months as our golfers compete for one of the top four scores in each match.”

Hampshire

Coach: Kevin O’Brien (fourth season)

Last season: Eighth at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Eric Brown, jr.; Seth Gillie, so.

Key newcomers: Nolan Adamczyk, fr.

Worth noting: Brown and Gillie give the Whip-Purs a solid 1-2 punch after both qualified for sectionals as underclassmen last season. Brown shot an 84 and Gillie an 85. … Hampshire improved from 10th to eighth at the conference tournament. … “As a program we are looking forward to competing in the FVC, led by the play of Brown, Gillie and Adamczyk,” O’Brien said. “Brown has continued to make huge strides on the course. His attention to detail on the course is unmatched, and I firmly believe Eric is one of the top players is the FVC. It will be fun to watch these boys compete this fall.”

Huntley

Coach: Collin Kalamatas (seventh season)

Last season: Third at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Brendan Busky, sr.; Nathan Elm, jr.; Nooa Hakala, jr.

Key newcomers: Taig Bhathal, so.

Worth noting: The Red Raiders had a strong showing at the Crystal Lake South Invitational on Thursday, placing second to Prairie Ridge (327) with a 332. Busky led the team with a 77 and Elm had a 79. … Huntley lost three of its top golfers to graduation: Danny Sheedy, Josh Good and Cole Modrich. Sheedy was an All-Area honorable mention pick. … Hakala was the team’s top scorer at conference. … “We are going to have some nice depth on our team,” Kalamatas said. “Up and down, we have guys that can put up a low number on any day. Busky has made some huge strides this summer and is the clearcut No. 1 for us, but we have a handful of guys who will be in contention for Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5. It should be interesting to see where we end up in the next eight weeks.”

Jacobs

Coach: Gary Conrad (ninth season)

Last season: Sixth at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Barrett Rennell, so.; Connor Schlueter, jr.; Owen Ziaja, jr.; Braden Behrens, so.

Worth noting: The Golden Eagles graduated their top golfer, Jason Seaholm, a Class 3A state qualifier, along with No. 2 Justin Cunningham. … Jacobs took third at regionals to advance to sectionals as a team. … Rennell was the team’s top scorer at last year’s FVC Tournament, firing an 83. Rennell shot an 88 at sectionals and Ziaja a 91. Rennell and Cunningham earned All-FVC honors.

McHenry

Coach: Ryan Ellison (16th season)

Last season: Fourth at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Brody Glauser, jr.; Justin Link, sr.

Worth noting: The Warriors made a big jump in the conference standings, taking fourth with a 338 after taking seventh in 2020. Crystal Lake Central (332) was first, followed by Burlington Central (332) and Huntley (337). … McHenry was runner-up at the Class 3A Harlem Regional with a 328. … The Warriors lost three of their top golfers to graduation: Ethan Jensen, Sam Huff and Will Currie. Huff was an All-Area honorable mention selection, and Jensen had the best score at the FVC Tournament with an 82.… “We’re a very young team with some solid talent,” Ellison said. “I’m looking forward to seeing come out on the golf course.”

Prairie Ridge

Coach: John Powell (10th season)

Last season: Fifth at FVC Tournament

Top returners: Charlie Pettrone, jr.; Danny Saville, sr.

Worth noting: The Wolves graduated last year’s FVC Tournament individual champion in Joe Pokonosky, who fired a 2-over-par 74 to claim top honors. … Prairie Ridge won Crystal Lake South’s Invite on Thursday with a 327. Pettrone was runner-up with a 76, Danny Saville shot an 80, and Austin Klauser added an 81. … The Wolves took third at the Class 2A Marengo Regional. Pettrone and Saville were sectional qualifiers, both shooting an 82 at the Sycamore Sectional.

Kishwaukee River Conference

Harvard

Coach: Rich Petska (14th season)

Last season: Third at KRC Tournament

Top returners: Logan Garafol, jr.; Myles Brincks, sr.; Aaron Saucedo, jr.; Connor Pedersen, sr.; Justin Lehmann, jr.; Nick Thurow, sr.; Jacob Finfrock, so.; Erik Hay, so.; Carter Flores, so.

Key newcomers: Adam Cooke, so.; Coen Dacy, jr.; Eltan Powles, fr.; John Witt, fr.; Mason Kriete, fr.

Worth noting: Garafol was named the KRC Player of the Year, tying for fifth at the KRC Tournament for the Hornets with an 84. He won every matchup throughout the conference season. Garafol couldn’t compete in regionals because of a positive COVID-19 test, but coach Petska felt he could have made a realistic run at state. … Brincks earned All-KRC honors and was a sectional qualifier. … “Harvard returns with the 2021 KRC Player of the Year Logan Garafol, Myles Brincks and Aaron Saucedo with the goal of having another great season,” Petska said. “Personally, I am most excited to see these players have all their hard work pay off.”

Johnsburg

Coach: Don Bentz (sixth season)

Last season: Fourth at KRC Tournament

Top returners: Mike Link, sr.; Ethan Stahl, sr.; Nick Grons, jr.; Mason Diedrich, sr.

Key newcomers: Ethan Rodgers, sr.; Sam Spiewach, so.; Noah Hagen, jr.; Riley Johnson, so.; Austin McCleary, sr.

Worth noting: Bentz likes the depth of his team this year, with an experienced group, along with newcomers representing every class. … The Skyhawks (393) took fourth at the KRC Tournament behind Woodstock North co-op (328), Richmond-Burton (358) and Harvard (372). … Link and Grons, who tied for 13th at conference, were both selected to the All-KRC team. … “We have a lot of experience coming back and a good group of newcomers,” Bentz said. “We should be more competitive this year and we’ll have a deep roster.”

Marengo

Coach: Rafael Martinez (sixth season)

Last season: Fifth at KRC Tournament

Top returners: Riley Weiss, sr.; Nicholas Walter, sr.; Dylan Erbstoesser, jr.; Leo Bankel, jr.; Kevin Williams, so.; Lucas Frohling, so.; Sean Ettner, so.

Worth noting: Marengo returns the majority of its team from last year, graduating only one. … Weiss has been the Indians’ No. 1 golfer for parts of the past three seasons. Walter enters his fourth year on varsity, Erbstoesser is going into his third and Bankel his second. … Marengo was fifth at the KRC Tournament last year after taking fourth in 2020. … Martinez thinks his teams is capable of competing for an KRC crown. … “After losing key players and rebuilding last year, we have a solid core of golfers to contend for a top spot in the KRC with the expectation to place several golfers in the playoffs,” Martinez said.

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Brad Tichenor (16th season)

Last season: KRC Tournament runner-up

Top returners: Jeff Lehn, jr.; Colten Miller, jr.; Jacob Olson, jr.

Key newcomers: Danny DeZanek, so.; Cooper O’Day, jr.

Worth noting: The Rockets finished second at the KRC Tournament for the third consecutive year. … Miller and Lehn were selected to the All-KRC team. Miller tied for fifth at the conference tournament and Lehn was eighth. Miller also had a strong postseason, shooting an 82 at the Class 2A Vernon Hills Regional to earn a sectional appearance. He was unable to compete at sectionals because of a positive COVID-19 test. … “I’m really looking forward to seeing this team come together and improve throughout the season,” Tichenor said.

Woodstock North co-op

Coach: Brent Filetti (seventh season)

Last season: KRC Tournament champions

Top returners: Brady Heeren, sr.; Frank Ferru, sr.; Aidan Sivore, sr.

Key newcomers: Alex Treadway, jr.; Brady Yergens, so.

Worth noting: The Thunder fired the four lowest scores to win its third straight KRC Tournament, beating runner-up Richmond-Burton (358) by 30 shots. Heeren earned medalist honors with an 81, while North-cop also earned top-12 finishes from Sivore (tied for second, 82) and Ferru (12th, 94). Overall, the team earned seven of the top 12 spots to win in dominant fashion. … Heeren, Sivore and Ferru were named to the All-KRC team. … North co-op has enjoyed a strong start to this season, winning the Sandwich Invitational and finishing third at the Jefferson Invitational. Heeren was the individual champion at Sandwich.

East Suburban Catholic Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Tom Kruse (second season)

Last season: 10th at ESCC Tournament

Top returners: Declan Pivnicka, sr.; Peter Louise, so.; Finn Pivnicka, so.; Joe Weinberger, sr.; Alex Domek, sr.; Michael Bubala, jr.; Cayden Leonard, so.; Mason Graf, so.

Key newcomers: Colin Kowalski, fr.

Worth noting: Finn Pivnicka shot a 79 at the Class 2A Marengo Regional to advance to sectionals, while first-year high school golfer Louise also earned a sectional berth. The Hurricanes graduated their third qualifier (Owen Jager). … Marian took fourth as a team at regionals, trailing only Boylan, Crystal Lake Central and Prairie Ridge. … Kruse looks for his team to have a nice postseason. … “We have a good group coming back with some strong senior leadership, along with some really talented young players,” Kruse said. “We have a few kids that may be able to make some noise in the playoffs.”