TERRY DUCKETT
Player of the year
Landon Meyers, Fulton
Meyers was one of five area boys’ golfers to qualify for the IHSA Class 1A state meet in Bloomington. He did so by shooting a 78 to tie for sixth place at the Riverdale Sectional meet.
Prior to that, the senior captured individual championships at the Northwest Upstate Illini Conference meet and the Galena Regional, shooting a 77 to win the NUIC title and an 82 to take the regional crown. He shot a first-day 88 and missed the cut by a few strokes at the state meet.
A unanimous first-team All-NUIC selection, Meyers helped the Steamers go 18-2 in dual meets, take second place at conference and capture their first regional team title since 2019.
First team
Carson Boelens, so., Mercer County: Built upon a strong debut season by qualifying for the IHSA Class 1A state meet with a third-place round of 76 at the Riverdale Sectional. He also scored second-place finishes at the Lincoln Trail Conference meet (79) and the Monmouth-Roseville Regional (78). At state, he shot a first-day 98 to miss the cut.
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Andrew Boland, Jr., Sherrard: Tied for 58th at the IHSA Class 1A state meet with a 36-hole total of 168 strokes. Won the Three Rivers Conference individual title in a playoff, shooting a 74 and winning on the second playoff hole. He then shot an 86 to tie for ninth and help the Tigers win the Monmouth-Roseville Regional title, and tied for 11th at the Riverdale Sectional with an 80.
Brenden Bolduc, fr., Ridgewood: Shot an 85 to take seventh place at his first Lincoln Trail Conference meet, helping the Spartans to a fourth-place team finish. He also shot an 85 to place eighth at the 1A Monmouth-Roseville Regional, ending his season with a tie for 52nd at the Riverdale Sectional (91).
Cameron Rascher, sr., Orion: Fired an 83 to finish 15th and earn second-team all-conference honors at the Three Rivers meet, then qualified out of the 1A Monmouth-Roseville Regional with an 81 to tie for third place before ending his season with a tie for 20th at the Riverdale Sectional (83).
Mason Smyser, fr., Riverdale: Helped the Rams to their ninth straight Three Rivers team title with a fourth-place round of 76 at the conference meet. He shot an 87 to tie for 18th and advance from the 1A Oregon Regional, ending with an 84 to tie for 26th place at the Riverdale Sectional.
Blake Sutton, fr., Riverdale: Qualified for the IHSA Class 1A state meet with a ninth-place round of 79 at the Riverdale Sectional, which was preceded by a tie for 16th at the Oregon Regional with an 86. Took ninth with a 79 at the Three Rivers meet to earn first -team all-conference honors. Shot a first-day 89 at state and missed the cut.
Hunter Weeks, Sr., Mercer County: Helped the Golden Eagles to the Lincoln Trail Conference team title by shooting an 81 to place fourth. He then helped MerCo finish third at the 1A Monmouth-Roseville Regional and qualify for sectionals with another 91, good for 16th place. He finished with a 93 to tie for 60th at the Riverdale Sectional.
Caden West, jr., Sherrard: Carded an 83 to finish 19th and earn second-team all-conference honors at the Three Rivers meet, then helped the Tigers repeat as 1A regional champions with an 81 to tie for third place at the Monmouth-Roseville Regional. He finished with a 108 at the Riverdale Sectional.
Jaxson Willer, Sr., Galva: Capped his prep career by shooting a 36-hole total of 159 to tie for 30th place at the IHSA Class 1A state meet. He was third place at the Lincoln Trail Conference meet with a 79, tied for 11th at the Monmouth-Roseville Regional with an 87, and was fourth at the Riverdale Sectional with a 77.
Honorable mention
Annawan-Wethersfield: Caleb McGill, Jr.
Erie-Prophetstown: Blake Geuns, so.
Fulton: Reed Owen, Sr.; Jacob Voss, Fr.; Zach Winkel, so.
Kewanee: Emmitt Brokaw, Sr.; Lucas Ensley, Rev.
Mercer County: Trenton Smith, Rev.
Riverdale: Aidan Dorathy, so.; Braden Janicki, fr.; Ethan Kiddoo, Rev.
Ridgewood: Matt Maher, Fr.
Rockridge: Kaden Cope, so.; Jackson Hofer, so.
Sherrard: Ty Fears, Jr.; Jacob Fratzke, so.
West Carroll: Wilson Bressler, so.; Dillon Hill, Jr.
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