10 boys and girls high school golfers to watch in the Springfield area this fall

Springfield High and Sacred Heart-Griffin each finished in the top six of the Class 2A boys golf state finals last fall.

They will largely usher in a new vanguard while Chatham Glenwood returns several key contributors from last season.

On the girls side, Rochester touts the past two winners of the Drysdale Junior golf tournament.

Here are some of the area’s top golfers to know this 2023 season, listed in alphabetical order.

BOYS GOLF

Cameron Appenzeller, Chatham Glenwood

The junior tied for 30^th place in the Class 2A state finals at Weibring Golf Course in Normal after rounds of 79 and 77. Teammates Bradyn Sayarath, a senior, and Drew Downen, a junior, both followed in 65^th place overall. Sayarath captured the individual Taylorville Regional title — just ahead of junior teammate Derek Dulceak (77) — en route to the team title prior to state. Earlier this summer, Glenwood won the inaugural Drysdale Cup at Bunn Golf Course featuring Appenzeller (74), senior Brock Bredehoft (76) and sophomore Brayden Mueller (83).

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Cal Johnson, Sacred Heart-Griffin

The senior tied for 21^st place in the 2A state meet with rounds of 78 and 76 in Normal after a pair of top-3 finishes in regionals and sectionals. He also won the individual City title. Teammates Augustine Hyde (75) and Max Gebhardt (78) each chalked up strong opening rounds in the Drysdale Junior golf tournament. Alio Giacomini also enters the lineup following the departures of Nick Calucchia and Carter Etheridge.

Tug Schwab, Litchfield

Only a playoff thwarted The State Journal-Register’s reigning Small School Boys Golfer of the Year from the Class 1A state title at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington. The senior bowed to Effingham St. Anthony’s Joey Trupiano after finishing with a 4-over-par 148 total in regulation.

Tug Schwab chips the ball out of a sand trap on the 10th hole during the Drysdale Junior golf tournament on Thursday July 14, 2022.

Will Seman, Williamsville

The senior tied for 25^th place in the 1A state finals after a 46th-place finish the previous 2021 season. Senior teammate Cole Brewer tied for 52^nd at last year’s state tournament. They both tied for sixth place overall in the Mason City Illini Central Sectional at Country Hills Golf Course. Fellow senior Leo Keebler, sophomore Parker Johnson and freshman Max Fisher will help round out the team.

Julian Valenti, Springfield High

The senior garnered second place in the Drysdale Junior golf tournament after firing a 77 in the first round. He tied for 72^nd overall in the 2A state finals while fellow senior James Oh registered 53^rd and junior Jacob Jenkins was 88th. They will carry the mantle after the departures of Peyton Woods and Jake Baldin.

GIRLS GOLF

Catalina Easley, Athens

The senior racked up a second straight regional title and top-10 state finish to become The State Journal-Register’s Small School Girls Golfer of the Year. In the 1A state final at Red Tail Run Golf Course in Decatur, she tied for 10^th with rounds of 73 and 78 after ending the 2021 season in fifth place.

Athens junior Catalina Easley at The Rail Wednesday Nov.9, 2022.

Alaina Ervin, Pleasant Plains

The junior soared through the postseason en route to a tie for 33^rd place in the 1A state meet. She will headline a team of seven players for the Cardinals.

Izzy Hassebrock, Sacred Heart-Griffin

The junior returns as the team’s top golfer after a couple of top-10 finishes in regionals and sectionals in Class 2A. She ultimately tied for 48^th in the state finals. Layden Tamblin, Macie Petropolous, Natalie Zak and Maddy Johnston are also expected to fill in the lineup under new head coach Bob Ralph.

Isabel Tom, Rochester

The senior tied for 51^st in the 1A state finals after nabbing the individual and team regional titles for the Rockets. She previously tied for 24^th overall in the 2021 state finals. She also touts the 2022 Drysdale Junior golf tournament girls title.

Isabel Tom tees off on the 13th hole during the Drysdale Junior golf tournament on Thursday July 14, 2022.

Kiley Torres, Rochester

The senior rolled to this year’s Drysdale Junior golf tournament title with a victory over Springfield High senior Madelyn Beck in the championship match. Torres has advanced to the 1A state finals the past two seasons and is committed to NCAA Division II Quincy University.