Bureau Valley

Coach: Jack Gustafson

Top returners: Landon Birdsley, jr.; Wyatt Novotny, so.; Colin Stabler, jr.

Key newcomers: Drake Michlig, jr.; Atticus Middleton, so.; Logan Philhower, so.

Worth noting: The Storm have one of the top young shining stars in Novotny, who carried a team-best average of 40 as a freshman. He shot an 87 to help the Storm to a third-place finish in the St. Bede Regional and led the Storm with an 85 at the sectional at TPC John Deere Run. Birdsley (45) and Stabler (47) join Novotny to give the Storm a good nucleus to build around. “All three have been putting the time in playing golf over the summer and showing the benefits of their efforts,” Gustafson said. Bureau Valley has 18 golfers this year, including experienced JV members in seniors Payne Lind and Tyler Birkey, junior Landen Smith and sophomore Sean Kendall, who could be vying for varsity playing time. Freshmen squad members are Noah Donaway, Tyler Donnelly, Cody Galassi, Colton Maubach-Williams, William Miller, Jack Nickelsen, Trevor Roberts and Drake Taylor.

Dixon

Coach: Lee Eastman

Top returners: Alex Harrison, sr.; Cade Hey, sr.; Jayce Kastner, sr.; Steven Kitzman, sr.; Ben Oros, jr.; Mason Weigle, sr.

Key newcomers: Max Kitzman, fr.; Brody Nicholas, fr.

Worth noting: Two Dukes made the sectional round last year in Harrison and Kitzman. Dixon looks to add more to that group this season. Five seniors mean the Dukes have solid senior leadership, which could translate into a run downstate in October. The younger Kitzman and Nicholas are ready now and could be significant contributors as Dixon looks to take the top spot in the Big Northern Conference this fall.

Erie-Prophetstown

Coach: Tom Rickels

Top returners: Blake Geuns, jr.; Blake VanHorn, jr.

Key newcomers: Hunter Howard, fr.; Brice Howell, fr.; Dane Ryan, fr.; Landon VanDeWostine, fr.

Worth noting: With a young roster, the Panthers will look to build as their season goes. Geuns and VanHorn are the veterans and will lead the team. Dane Ryan is a freshman newcomer to watch, and Landon VanDeWostine looks to follow in his older brothers’ footsteps.

Forreston

Coach: Matt Hanley

Top returners: Kaden Brown, so.; Kendall Erdmann, so.; Kaden Ganz, sr.; Darin Greenfield, so.; Heath Schubert, jr.; Hayden Stralow, sr.

Key newcomer: Daylen Rahn, fr.

Worth noting: Plenty of familiar faces for the Cardinals in 2023. The whole roster is back from a team that won nine matches in the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference last year. Brown made it to sectionals last year, and Erdmann and Ganz round out the top three. The talent pool doesn’t stop at the returners. Rahn is a talented freshman who played a lot of golf before high school. Hanley is excited about this version of the Cardinals with its blend of experience and youth. Brown already put up a 35 in an early season match with Fulton.

Fulton

Coach: Mitch Van Zuiden

Top returners: Chase Dykstra, so.; Dawson Price, so.; Brady Read, sr.; Jacob Voss, so.; Zach Winkel, jr.

Kew Newcomers: Owen Van Zuiden, fr.

Worth noting: A big roster of 17 golfers should mean big things for the Steamers this fall. It all started in the offseason with plenty of rounds, and they look to have that translate to success in the Northwest Upstate Illini. The addition of Owen Van Zuiden coupled with the experience of Jacob Voss, Zach Winkel, Dawson Price, Brady Read and Chase Dykstra should lead Fulton to another regional title and beyond. Van Zuiden already carded a 38 in an early season win over Foreston.

Newman Central Catholic

Coach: Kevin Knack

Top returners: Logan Palmer, sr.; Garrett Wolfe, so.

Key newcomers: Chase Decker, jr.; Michael Morse, fr.; Liam Nicholas, fr.

Worth noting: The Comets look to contend in the Three Rivers Conference and should nail down a couple of qualifiers this fall. Palmer placed 30th last year, and Decker, a transfer from Morrison, will lead the way. Wolfe and the two freshmen will provide good depth for Newman.

Oregon

Coach: Jim Spratt

Top returners: Brady Davis, sr.; Kylar Early, sr.; Jackson Messenger so.; Logan Sarver, sr.; Dom Terliskowski, sr.; Brogan Wilkinson, jr.

Worth noting: Incremental progress in competitiveness is the goal early with the best golf coming from the Hawks in the fall. Good news: Oregon returns its roster intact, led by Early, Davis, Sarver and Terliskowski. With another year of experience, the Hawks look to be competitive in the Big Northern Conference.

Polo

Coach: Jeff Sands

Worth noting: Cody Buskohl

Top returners: Wyatt Brooks, so.; Aiden Messer, so.; Caleb Sutton, jr.

Key newcomers: Byron Grobe, so.; Jackson Willis, fr.

Worth noting: A very young group of Marcos will take to the course this fall. Young certainly doesn’t mean lacking in talent. This group has a strong sophomore base with Brooks, Messer and the newcomer Grobe leading the way. Sutton is the veteran of the group but is only a junior. Future is bright for Polo in 2023.

Rock Falls

Coach: Chris Buikema

Top returners: Riley Anderson, sr.; Carter Dillon, sr.; Jayce Eriks, sr.; Conner Porter, jr.; Brody Van Weelden, sr.; Colby Ward, sr.

Worth noting: Dillon is a returning qualifier from the sectionals last year and looks to take that next step to state in 2023 for the Rockets. VanWeelden, Ward and Eriks will provide the senior leadership. Rock Falls has a solid base of sophomores and juniors that should provide nice depth in the Big Northern Conference this fall.

Sterling

Coach: Nick Hubbard

Top returners: Cale Cushman, sr.; Bryce Hartman, jr.; Mason Hubbard, jr.; Eli Penne, so.

Key newcomers: Nick Capp, jr.; Grant Hartman, so.; Troy Lawrence, jr.

Worth noting: Graduation hit the Golden Warriors hard as four seniors moved on. For 2023, Sterling aims to finish in the top three in the Western Big 6 Conference and, led by juniors Hartman and Hubbard, the future looks bright. Cushman, as well as Penne, are the top returners, and Capp and Lawerence should be major contributors for the Golden Warriors.

West Carroll

Coach: Joe Meade

Top returners: Wilson Bressler, jr.; Noah Johnson, so.; Thomas, Krontz so.; Cooper Smith, jr.

Key newcomers: Max Knuth, so.; Brody Leitzen, fr.; Logan Thulen, fr.

Worth noting: The Thunder have a good mix of returning and new golfers with 11 total boys on the team. A lot of time on the summer links should pay off for WC this fall. Bressler and Krontz should lead the way as top scorers. A nice blend of newcomers including Thulen and Leitzen should see the Thunder getting better each week as they peak at the end of the year.