2024 BCR Boys Golf Preview: Golfer of the Year Landen Plym returns for Hall

Bureau Valley

Coach: Jack Gustafson

Top returners: Landen Birdsley, sr.; Drake Michlig, sr.; Atticus Middleton, sr.; Wyatt Novotny, jr.; Logan Philhower, jr., Colin Stabler, sr.; Landon Smith, sr.

Worth noting: The Storm return all six golfers from last year’s sectional qualifier with Birdsley, Middleton, Novotny, Philhower, Smith and Stabler. Novotny, who averaged 39.4, went on to make state for the first time. He was a top 4 finisher in three invites and placed fifth in the Three Rivers Conference tournament. He was at sixth at regional (76) and sectional (79). Birdsley averaged 43.3 as the Storm’s No. 2 man with an 82 (ninth overall) at the Riverdale Regional. He placed 16th in the Three Rivers Meet, earning second-team all-conference honors. Middleton and Stabler earned all-BCR honorable mentions. “We will be returning with four seniors this fall. Looking forward to a lot of senior leadership,” Gustafson said.

Bureau Valley's Landen Birdsley tees off during the Class 1A Regional on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022 at Spring Creek Golf Course in Spring Valley. (Scott Anderson - sanderson@shawmedia.com)

Princeton

Coach: Brandon Crawford

Top returners: Jayden Fulkerson, sr.; Jackson Mason, jr.; Luke Smith, sr.

Top newcomer: Tyler Forristall, jr.

Worth noting: Mason came over from soccer last year and became the Tigers’ co-leader with a 44 average with senior Tyson Phillips. He earned first-team all-BCR honors. Smith was a second-team all-BCR, all-conference selection, placing 12th (85) in the Three Rivers meet. He averaged 45 on the year. Other returning starters from last year are seniors Kaiden Coomer, Jayden Fulkerson and Nolan Kloepping with senior Zeke Klingenberg and juniors Cayden Benavidez and Andre Boughton and sophomores Brody Ross and Eli Coomer also returning. Crawford is looking forward to watching Forristall come out for the first time and “use his experience and composure facing adversity on the baseball diamond transfer to the course.” Other newcomers are freshmen Isaac Hufnagel, Trevyn Munson, Fox Sanders and Owen Schultz. “We bring back 5 of 6 from last year, so the goal is to compete not just against the other schools in the conference but, more importantly, against ourselves,” Crawford said. “We are going to approach each day with a one swing at a time approach. We can’t be playing for just a number. We have to play at a level that represents ourselves, our teammates and for Princeton golf.”

Princeton's jackson Mason watches his shot Monday at Wyaton Hills Golf Course in Princeton. — Princeton's Jackson Mason watches his shot Monday at Wyaton Hills Golf Course in Princeton. (Mike Vaughn)

Hall

Coach: Mason Kimberley

Top returners: Landen Plym, sr.; Jake Diaz, sr.; Noah Plym, so.; Lukas Manrriquez, sr.; Joe Perez, so.; Johnni Escatel, jr.; Cody Orlandi, jr.; Clayton Fusinetti, jr.; Vance Pienta, jr.

Worth noting: The Red Devils did not have any seniors on the roster last fall, so they bring back an experienced group for 2024, led by two-time BCR Boys Golfer of the Year Landen Plym, who had a 37.7 average last year. “Landen has built up quite the impressive resumé through his first three years and really wants to cap off his final year with a couple more invitational wins and hopefully another state berth,” Kimberley said. Kimberley also said Noah Plym (44 average in 2023), Landen’s cousin, has been working hard on the course and in the weight room, while Diaz (44) is “perhaps the most improved golfer from freshman to senior year that I’ve had in my 10 years of coaching.” Perez, Escatel, Manrriquez, Orlandi and Fusinetti all have varsity experience and will compete for the final three spots. “This could be a very exciting season for Hall golf,” Kimberley said. “This could be a very exciting season for Hall golf ... We have the talent and depth to be able to contend for hardware throughout the season, and perhaps even make a deep postseason run. We’ve added a couple events with bigger schools in order to test the kids against tougher competition. The kids have all put in a lot work this summer into being more well-rounded golfers, and they all can’t wait to compete this fall.”

Hall's Landen Plym chips his ball toward the first hole during the Class 1A Regional on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023 at Wolf Creek Golf Club in Pontiac. — Hall senior Landen Plym is the two-time reigning BCR Golfer of the Year. (Scott Anderson)

St. Bede

Coach: Rich Cummings

Top returners: Abe Wiesbrock, jr.; Zach Husser, so.; Chris Gedraitis, so.

Key newcomers: Kaden Nauman, sr., Dominic Fonderelli, sr.; Caden Carls, jr.; Noah Buck, jr.

Worth noting: Wiesbrock is a returning sectional qualifier who averaged 45.5 last fall. Husser (47.3) and Gedraitis (49.5) also return. Cummings said Nauman was hampered by injuries last year and he is hoping for a breakout season from him and classmate Fonderelli. Carls and Buck also are expected to contribute. “We are hoping to avoid sunburns and three-putts,” Cummings said. “We hope for a quality rebuilding year in that the juniors and sophomores improve and contribute.”

DePue

Coach: Kieran Trevier

Worth noting: Trevier takes over the program and has a roster that’s entirely new to the sport. Senior Vance Hayes, sophomore Pablo Escobar and freshman Jayden Le make up the team. Le has shown promise early. “He has shown great improvement in practices,” Trevier said. With an inexperienced roster, Trevier said he hopes the Little Giants learn the game this fall and develop a love for the sport. “Golf is still so new to DePue High School that not many students regularly golfed outside of our team,” Trevier said. “I really hope to show them a lifelong hobby/sport they can play till they are 80 years old.”