Northwest Herald boys golf preview: Five golfers to watch in 2022

Here are five boys golfers to watch in the Northwest Herald area this season.

Logan Garafol, Harvard, jr.

Garafol tied for fifth at last season’s Kishwaukee River Conference Meet with an 84 and was named the KRC Player of the Year after earning medalist honors at every KRC dual for the Hornets. Garafol couldn’t compete in regionals because of a positive COVID-19 test, but coach Rich Petska felt he could have made a realistic run at state.

Charlie Pettrone, Prairie Ridge, jr.

Pettrone earned All-Fox Valley Conference honors last season with an 87 at the Fox Valley Conference Tournament and was a sectional qualifier, shooting an 82 at the Class 2A Sycamore Sectional. Pettrone opened this season with a 4-over-par 76 at the Crystal Lake South Invite on Thursday to lead the Wolves to the team title.

Jake Russell, Dundee-Crown, sr.

Russell was an All-Area honorable mention selection last season and was among the top scorers in the FVC’s end-of-season points standings. Russell shot an 84 at the FVC Tournament for the Chargers and advanced to sectionals, shooting an 83 at the Class 3A Buffalo Grove Sectional.

Nate Stewart, Crystal Lake South, sr.

Stewart, an All-Area second-team selection as a junior, placed fourth at the FVC Tournament for the Gators with an 80 and was runner-up in the conference’s end-of-season points standings. Stewart shot an 81 at the Class 2A Sycamore Sectional.

Maddux Tarasievich, Cary-Grove, sr.

Tarasievich was an All-Area second-team selection as a junior, posting an 84 at the FVC Tournament and placing inside the top 10 of the end-of-season points standings. The Trojans’ top scorer advanced to the Class 3A state tournament, shooting a 74 at sectionals. Tarasievich tied for 63rd at state with a two-day score of 80-77-157.