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DeKalb Barbs
Head coach: Brad Kerkman
Top returners: Tyler Brackemyer, jr., Brodie Farrell, sr., Jonah Keck, sr., Aidan Lange, sr.
Top newcomers: Nolan Knutson, jr., Sean Kolkebeck, sr.
Outlook: Interest in golf is strong at DeKalb, and competition to represent the Barbs has the program in a good place this fall. “Program numbers are up this year, which is creating a lot of competition within the program, which is going to really elevate everyone’s game,” DeKalb coach Brad Kerkman said. “We play a very difficult schedule with some great competition. With an older and experienced team, we are looking to be very competitive in our conference as well as our tournament schedule”. Farrell, Keck and Lange helped the baseball team win 22 games last spring and Brackemyer ran track and field, making the Barbs roster is filled with multisport athletes, including Kolkebeck who played soccer last fall while wrestling in the winter.
Sycamore Spartans
Head coach: Dan Wheeler
Top returners: Gavin Sedevie, so.
Top newcomers: Eli Goodeill, so., Tyler Lockhart, jr.
Worth noting: Kids are hitting the little white ball with purpose in the Sycamore area as close to 40 students tried out. “It is very exciting to have golf gaining popularity in Sycamore again,” Spartans coach Dan Wheeler said. “The scores keep getting better and better, year after year, and I love what I am seeing out of our lower levels, even down through the middle school.” Seniors Landon Taylor, Johnny Lochbaum and Justin Forsberg will look to guide a young team that will include three sophomores in the starting lineup, including Gavin Sedevie and newcomer Eli Goodeill. “I anticipate a season of ups and downs,” Wheeler said. “It’s tough for a young lineup to produce great scores night after night, but hopefully the veteran leadership of [the] seniors can help create a recipe for a great season.”
Genoa-Kingston Cogs
Head coach: Kyle Carbone
Top returners: Colton McDowell, jr., Sean Peterson, so., Harrison Zorica, jr.
Top newcomers: Jack Peterson, jr.,, Mason Smith, fr.,
Worth noting: The Cogs have no seniors and lost a great one to graduation in all-conference standout Landon Ritchie. Junior Colton McDowell is coming off a strong sophomore season and is expected to lead the way, while Harrison Zorica and Sean Peterson are expected to be fixtures in the lineup after playing some last season. Freshman Mason Smith and junior Jack Peterson are two key newcomers. Peterson has made the switch from playing football to golf and has impressed early on in both tryouts and during the team’s first best ball tournament. “Growth will be our primary focus,” Cogs coach Kyle Carbone said, “but I still think this squad can make some noise. We will have no seniors on varsity so this team will be solid for the next couple of years.”
Hinckley-Big Rock Royals
Head coach: Jay Appel
Top returners: Max Hintzsche, sr.; Logan Pawlik-Dolen, sr.
Worth noting: All but one player who competed in last year’s regional has graduated, and coach Matt Olsen has relocated to Tennessee. Jay Appel takes over coaching duties.
Indian Creek Timberwolves
Head coach: Matt Davis
Top returners: Gino Data, sr., Jon Genslinger, sr., Dom Nelson, so., Cooper Rissman, jr.
Top newcomers: Linkin Klotz, fr., Kaden Ludlow, sr., Marshall Nays, jr., Dom Peterson, fr.
Worth noting: Sophomore Elliott Kupp and junior Emmett Swenson along with the four returnees and four newcomers give the team a good number of players. “The biggest thing with this team is keeping them focused on golf on the course and during practice, and letting them know bad shots will come and go, but to overcome them and hit a good next shot is key,” coach Matt Davis said. “Also, just going out there to have fun and not get mad after a bad round or even just a hole. [We] need them to keep their head up and continue with less negative emotions.” Davis said the kids are hungry to get better and looking to compete in conference and to be able to show signs of improvement from the start of the season until that final 18th hole arrives.
Kaneland Knights
Head coach: Mark Davoust
Top returners: Brayden Seaton, sr.
Top newcomers: Dylan Pjesky, fr., Ty Nied, fr.
Worth noting: The Knights said goodbye to seven seniors after last year and only senior Brayden Seaton returns with varsity experience. Sophomores Bryce Flowers and Carson Iwanski and juniors Jacob Yost, Jack Frey and Nick Dziewais have been in the program, but are new to the varsity squad except for Frey. Freshmen Dylan Piesky and Ty Nied are a pair of promising newcomers. “[It] will be a bit of a rebuilding year for Kaneland having graduated seven seniors, but the upcoming juniors, sophomores and even freshmen will give us a balanced attack and prevent us from having such a massive talent drain,” Knights coach Mark Davoust said. “We are building a new Knights team. Both varsity and F/S teams should be competitive.”