The thrill of competition is palpable as high school golfers across Illinois clash in the prestigious 2025 IHSA state finals – but who will rise to the top and claim glory? It's a moment that captures the heart of youth sports, where dreams are forged on the fairways, and every swing could change the course of a young athlete's future. Dive in with us as we break down the first-round results from this exciting event held at venues in Bloomington-Normal and Decatur, shedding light on the top performers, advancing teams, and local heroes from the Peoria region. And here's where it gets intriguing: we'll explore not just the scores, but the strategies and rivalries that might spark debates among fans and families alike. Stick around to see the full picture unfold – you won't want to miss the twists that could redefine this championship.
For those new to high school golf in Illinois, the IHSA (Illinois High School Association) organizes these state finals as the pinnacle of the season, pitting the best boys' and girls' teams against each other in multiple classes based on school size. On Friday, the first round wrapped up, setting the stage for more action. To move forward, the top eight teams and the top 40 golfers from outside those teams qualify for Day 2 in the Class 1A, 2A, and 3A boys' finals, as well as the Class 1A and 2A girls' finals. These qualifiers will return on Saturday for another round of intense play. At the end, the top three teams in each category will walk away with coveted state trophies, while the top 10 individual golfers (regardless of team qualification) will earn prestigious state medals. It's a system designed to reward both team excellence and standout personal talent, giving every skilled player a shot at recognition.
The Peoria area shines brightly in this year's event, with a robust showing of 24 individual players and four teams making their mark across the various finals. For a detailed roster, check out this comprehensive list from the PJ Star: [link here]. It's a testament to the region's growing golf culture, where local clubs and schools are nurturing the next generation of pros.
Let's dissect the results class by class, starting with the boys' divisions and then moving to the girls'. We'll highlight the advancing teams, key non-advancers, top individual performers, and those from the Peoria area who made the cut or fell just short. But here's the part most people miss: in a sport where mental toughness and adaptability can turn a good round into a legendary one, these scores often tell only half the story – weather conditions, course challenges, and even peer pressure play huge roles. Imagine battling through a windy day or sinking a crucial putt under the gaze of cheering teammates; it's the essence of high school athletics that builds character beyond the scorecard.
Class 1A Boys took to the greens at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, where strategy and precision were key. The advancing teams, securing their spots with impressive cumulative scores, include Teutopolis at 313, Elgin Harvest Christian at 317, Fulton at 320, Glen Carbon Father McGivney at 323, Fairbury Prairie Central at 327, Port Byron Riverdale at 328, Elmhurst Timothy Christian at 328, and Pittsfield at 329. Among the non-advancing area teams, Hall finished with 338, led by strong individual efforts from Noah Plym (85), Clayton Fusinetti (85), Johnni Escatel (86), Jimmie Jablonski (86), and Joseph Perez (87).
The top 10 individual advancers who weren't from the qualifying teams showcased remarkable skill: Wyatt Novotny from Bureau Valley (senior, 70), Jacob Voss from Fulton (senior, 72), Liam Lodding from EHC (senior, 73), Sam Schwab from Litchfield (senior, 74), Coen Pennington from Teutopolis (senior, 74 – wait, original says 74, but listed with others), Nolan Murphy from Illini West (sophomore, 75), Miles Van Prooyen from ETC (junior, 75), Isaac Weber from Teutopolis (junior, 76), Owen Van Zuiden from Fulton (junior, 76), Easton Friedman from FPC (senior, 76), Brycen Umstattd from LeRoy (junior, 76 – original says 76), and Bronson Tippett from Eldorado (sophomore, 76 – original says 76, assuming from context).
From the Peoria area, the advancing golfers who punched their tickets include Crew Fortin from Illini Bluffs (junior, 77), Drake Hanson from Lewistown/Valley/Cuba (junior, 77), Grady Burrell from Delavan (sophomore, 79), Alex Foutch from Abingdon-Avon (senior, 82), and Luke Bryant from Hall (junior, 82). Meanwhile, the non-advancing area golfers, though valiant, included Will Snyder from Brimfield (freshman, 84) and Ethan Barnes from Olympia (junior, 91). It's fascinating how close some scores are – a single stroke can make or break a tournament, raising questions about luck versus skill in such tight competitions.
Class 2A Boys competed at Weibring Golf Club in Normal, delivering some of the event's most competitive rounds. Advancing teams are West Chicago Wheaton Academy at 297, Washington at 300 (with stellar contributions from Gavin Schreurs 71, Court Bohanan 74, Luke Kamienski 75, Dom Yocum 80, Gage Garrison 80, and Aiden Foster 80), Normal U-High at 302, Lake Forest at 303, Quincy Notre Dame at 303, Arlington Heights St. Viator at 307, Effingham St. Anthony at 312, and Ottawa at 313.
The top 10 individual advancers outside the teams were: Nolan Eccles from Dunlap (junior, 69), Owen Coniaris from WCWA (junior, 69), Carson Tribout from Belleville Althoff (junior, 69 – original says 69), Gavin Schreurs from Washington (senior, 71), Nick Ratini from WCWA (freshman, 72), Brody Allen from NUH (72), Beau Eftink from QND (senior, 72), Thomas Haas from LF (freshman, 73), Harper Hough from QND (junior, 74), Olliver Hendrian from QND (junior, 74), Bryer Harris from Ottawa (junior, 74), Court Bohanan from Washington (junior, 74), Mac Dean from AHSV (sophomore, 74), and Jack Quinn from NUH (sophomore, 74).
Peoria area's advancing golfers shone with Nick Herget from Dunlap (junior, 75), Carter Lippens from Dunlap (junior, 80), Sean Graham from Peoria Notre Dame (junior, 80), and Isaiah Farraher from Metamora (sophomore, 83). And this is where it gets controversial: with so many talented players from the same regions, like Dunlap dominating spots, some might argue that geographic advantages or coaching resources give certain schools an edge – is this fair, or does it encourage healthy competition? We'll touch on this more later.
Class 3A Boys battled it out at The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course in Bloomington, where power hitters and precise putters clashed. Advancing teams include Evanston at 291, Winnetka New Trier at 296, Arlington Heights Hersey at 302, Elmhurst York at 305, Hinsdale Central at 307, Moline at 310, Geneva at 312, and Barrington at 314.
Leading the top 10 individual advancers were: Lester Low from Evanston (sophomore, 65), Isaac Rumler from Moline (junior, 66), Colin Kemp from Pekin (sophomore, 68), Nolan Adamczyk from Hampshire (senior, 70), Jack Gill from WNT (sophomore, 70), Caden Petersen from Lisle Benet Academy (70), Michael Jorski from HC (sophomore, 71), Finn Sullivan from Libertyville (junior, 72), Alex Lee from Northbrook Glenbrook North (senior, 72), and Liam Kelly from WNT (junior, 72).
From the Peoria area, Shane Cunningham from Richwoods (freshman, 77) advanced, while Hayden Lochbaum from Richwoods (senior, 90) did not. In larger classes like 3A, the depth of talent can sometimes overshadow individual breakthroughs, prompting debates about whether bigger schools have unfair advantages in recruiting top players.
Shifting to the girls' side, Class 1A Girls played at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur, showcasing the rising stars of women's golf. Advancing teams are Mt. Carmel at 316, Quincy Notre Dame at 329, Breese Central at 332, Effingham St. Anthony at 356, Breese Mater Dei at 357, Rockford Lutheran at 358, Downs Tri-Valley at 358, and Monmouth United at 362 (with scores from Meredith Yung senior 85, Jalyn Wallace senior 87, Paige Christianson junior 90, Abigail Kendall freshman 100, Kennedy Martin freshman 106, and Elly Hinton senior 121). Non-advancing area teams included Macomb at 377, featuring Sophie Wilson 89, Brenlee Tibbitts 94, Taylor Mann 97, Aubrey Holthaus 97, and Reese Watson 98.
The top 10 individual advancers were: Miley Kennard from Mount Carmel (senior, 74), Sarah Hyten from Glen Carbon Father McGivney (senior, 75), Zeme Moore from Mount Carmel (senior, 76), Merryn Elliott from Carterville (sophomore, 76), Avery Arendell from Columbia (senior, 76), Zora Matthews from Chicago Lycee Francais de Chicago (senior, 77), Natalie Druffel from Quincy Notre Dame (sophomore, 77), Maya Kampwerth from Breese Central (junior, 78), Cate Sanders from Monticello (sophomore, 78), and Annabelle Kutcher from Chicago F.W. Parker (sophomore, 79).
Peoria area's advancing golfers were Sara Finn from Illini Bluffs (senior, 83) and Sophie Wilson from Macomb (senior, 89), with non-advancers including Gillian Tyra from Metamora (junior, 94) and Kennadie Finchum from Olympia (junior, 101). Girls' golf is gaining momentum, but some argue that traditional boys' sports still dominate funding and attention – does this hold back female athletes?
Finally, Class 2A Girls teed off at Hickory Point Golf Course in Forsyth, wrapping up the first round with flair. Advancing teams: Northbrook Glenbrook North at 306, Lincolnshire Stevenson at 309, Frankfort Lincoln-Way East at 315, Winnetka New Trier at 315, Normal U-High at 323, Hinsdale Central at 325, Lisle Benet at 330, and O'Fallon at 333.
Top 10 individual advancers: Grece Leber from New Trier (senior, 69), Marthan Kuahara from Glenbrook North (senior, 70), Alli Wiertel from Oswego East (sophomore, 71), Madeline Gutierrez from Hoffman Estates Conant (sophomore, 72), Reese Wallace from Barrington (junior, 72), Miah Wanserski from Downers Grove South (senior, 72), Lauren Gauss from Benet (freshman, 73), Alia Brazeau from Palatine Fremd (junior, 74), Nanette Song from Lincolnshire Stevenson (junior, 74), Courtney Beerheide from Buffalo Grove (senior, 75), and Sarah Scott from Lemont (freshman, 75).
Peoria's advancing area golfers: Leah Brown from Pekin (junior, 78) and Sydney Hunt from Dunlap (junior, 80). As we wrap up, one controversial angle emerges: in an era of growing inclusivity in sports, do these finals adequately represent diverse backgrounds and skill levels, or do they favor certain demographics? For instance, the dominance of suburban schools might raise eyebrows about equity.
Adam Duvall, a dedicated Journal Star sports reporter, brought us this coverage. Reach out to him at aduvall@pjstar.com or follow @AdamDuvall on Twitter for more updates.
What are your thoughts on these results? Do you think the advancing teams truly earned their spots, or is there room for debate on scoring fairness? Should golf rules be tweaked for more excitement, like in professional tours? Share your opinions, agreements, or disagreements in the comments – let's discuss!
