Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week: Cary-Grove’s Maddux Tarasievich

Trojans senior earned medalist honors in FVC wins over Crystal Lake Central, Huntley and McHenry

Cary-Grove's Maddux Tarasievich lines up his shot on the 4th hole green during the McHenry County Junior Golf Association's Tournament of Champions on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021 at Woodstock Country Club in Bull Valley.

,Cary-Grove’s Maddux Tarasievich had it all working during the final week of August.

The Trojans senior took top honors in all three of his team’s Fox Valley Conference dual wins over Crystal Lake Central (164-168), Huntley (157-158) and McHenry (151-169).

Tarasievich started the week with a 37 against Central and had back-to-back, 1-under par 35s against Huntley and McHenry. Against the Warriors, he sank a birdie putt on the par-5 second hole, helping finish off a perfect week for C-G.

On the season, C-G is 5-1 in FVC duals with its only loss coming last week to Prairie Ridge, 160-166.

Tarasievich was a Northwest Herald All-Area second-team pick last year, advancing to the Class 3A state tournament and tying for 63rd overall with a 80-77–157.

For his performance, Tarasievich was voted the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week by readers. The Trojans senior answered a few questions about his favorite local course, competing at the state tournament, the hardest part about golf and more.

What is your favorite local course to play and why?

Tarasievich: My favorite local course is Foxford Hills (in Cary) because I love the layout and it has some difficult holes, but it also has some score-able holes.

What are some of your favorite hobbies?

Tarasievich: My favorite hobbies are hanging out with my friends and making golf videos.

What is a fast food/junk food that you cannot live without?

Tarasievich: My favorite fast food is MOD Pizza.

Which celebrity would you most like to hang with for a day?

Tarasievich: Tiger Woods, so I can learn to putt.

What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?

Tarasievich: Being recognized as having one of the most improved GPAs from sophomore to junior year.

What was the state tournament experience like last year?

Tarasievich: Playing in the state tournament last year was a great experience. I made new friends, and the thing I remember most is seeing my name at the top of the leaderboard when I was 2 under through seven holes. Seeing how I ended the way I did has really motivated me to put the work in this year to be more prepared this season.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Tarasievich: Nashville. I love country music and would like a warmer state but still want a winter.

Do you model your game or swing after anybody?

Tarasievich: I model my game off of Justin Thomas. I think wedge game is super important, and he is one of the best in that field.

What’s the hardest part about golf?

Tarasievich: The hardest part about golf is forgetting about the bad shots and moving on. If you can’t get a bad shot out of your head, the game gets 10 times harder.

What are your goals for the rest of the season?

Tarasievich: The goal is to make it to the sectional as a team and win state as an individual.

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