The 2025 IHSA Golf State Finals: A Recap of Champions and Medalists
The air was thick with anticipation as the 2025 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) boys' and girls' golf state finals concluded, showcasing incredible talent across Bloomington-Normal and Decatur. This year's competition was particularly memorable, with several standout performances and nail-biting finishes. Let's dive into the results!
Leading the charge for the Peoria area, 24 individuals and four teams made their mark. The individual championships were clinched by Dunlap's Nolan Eccles and Bureau Valley's Wyatt Novotny, setting the stage for an exciting weekend. But, let's not forget the team dynamics and the dramatic moments that unfolded.
In the boys' Class 2A finals, Washington and Normal U-High found themselves in a deadlock, both teams finishing with a score of 596. The tiebreaker rule, based on the fifth-lowest score from each team, ultimately awarded the title to Normal U-High. It's a stark reminder that every stroke counts in these high-stakes events.
Here's a quick rundown of the key takeaways:
- Trophies were awarded to the top three teams in the boys' Class 1A, 2A, and 3A finals, as well as the girls' Class 1A and 2A finals.
- The top 10 golfers in each event earned coveted state medals.
Class 1A Boys
* Location: Prairie Vista Golf Course, Bloomington
* Trophy Teams:
* 1st: Teutopolis (623)
* 2nd: Fulton (634)
* 3rd: Port Byron Riverdale (637)
* Top 10 Medalists:
* 1st: Wyatt Novotny (Bureau Valley) - 144
* T-2nd: Coen Pennington (Teutopolis) - 146
* T-2nd: Nolan Murphy (Illini West) - 146
* T-4th: Lian Lodding (Elgin Harvest Christian Academy) - 148
* T-4th: Owen Van Zuiden (Fulton) - 148
* T-6th: Easton Friedman (Fairbury Prairie Central) - 149
* T-6th: Jacob Voss (Fulton) - 149
* T-5th: Miles Van Prooyen (Elmhurst Timothy Christian) - 149
* T-9th: Crew Forton (Illini Bluffs) - 150
* T-9th: Peyton Serafin (Beecher) - 150
Class 2A Boys
* Location: Weibring Golf Club, Normal
* Trophy Teams:
* 1st: Normal U-High (596) (won tiebreaker)
* 2nd: Washington (596)
* 3rd: West Chicago Wheaton Academy (307)
* Top 10 Medalists:
* 1st: Nolan Eccles (Dunlap) - 137
* T-2nd: Carson Tribout (Belleville Althoff) - 140
* T-2nd: Brody Allen (Normal U-High) - 140
* 4th: Gavin Schreurs (Washington) - 141
* 5th: Owen Coniaris (Wheaton Academy) - 142
* 6th: Brady Cross (Lake Villa Lakes) - 144
* T-7th: Cole Beto (Rockford Boylan) - 147
* T-7th: Nick Ratini (Wheaton Academy) - 147
* T-7th: Michael Hahn (Lake Forest) - 147
* T-7th: Noah Cooper (Highland) - 147
Class 3A Boys
* Location: The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course, Bloomington
* Trophy Teams:
* 1st: Winnetka New Trier (589)
* 1st: Evanston (589)
* 3rd: Elmhurst York (607)
* Top 10 Medalists:
* 1st: Lester Low (Evanston) - 137
* 2nd: Isaac Rumler (Moline) - 138
* 3rd: Liam Kelly (New Trier) - 141
* 4th: Colin Kemp (Pekin) - 142
* T-5th: Michael Jorski (Hinsdale Central) - 144
* T-5th: Owen Spokas (Arlington Heights Hersey) - 144
* T-5th: Caden Petersen (Lisle Benet) - 144
* T-8th: Jack Gill (New Trier) - 145
* T-8th: Nolan Adamczyk (Hampshire) - 145
* T-10th: Zach Johnson (Oswego East) - 146
* T-10th: Luciano Giangrossi (Evanston) - 146
Class 1A Girls
* Location: Red Tail Run Golf Course, Decatur
* Trophy Teams:
* 1st: Mount Carmel (624)
* 2nd: Quincy Notre Dame (649)
* 3rd: Breese Central (656)
* Top 10 Medalists:
* 1st: Sarah Hyten (Glen Carbon Father McGivney) - 146
* 2nd: Avery Arendell (Coulumbia) - 147
* T-3rd: Zeme Moore (Mount Carmel) - 152
* T-3rd: Natalie Druffel (QND) - 152
* T-3rd: Miley Kennard (Mount Carmel) - 152
* T-3rd: Merryn Elliott (Carterville) - 152
* 7th: Maya Kampwerth (Breese Central) - 154
* 8th: Isabelle Boudreau (QND) - 155
* 9th: Whitney Lovel (Campbell Hill Trico) - 156
* T-10th: Zora Matthews (Chicago Lycee Francais de Chicago) - 158
* T-10th: Annabelle Kutcher (Chicago F.W. Parker) - 158
Class 2A Girls
* Location: Hickory Point Golf Course, Forsyth
* Trophy Teams:
* 1st: Northbrook Glenbrook North (604)
* 2nd: Lincolnshire Stevenson (609)
* 3rd: Winnetka New Trier (626)
* Top 10 Medalists:
* 1st: Alli Wiertel (Oswego East) - 136
* T-2nd: Martha Kuwahara (Glenbrook North) - 141
* T-2nd: Miah Wanserski (Downers Grove South) - 141
* 4th: Grace Leber (New Trier) - 143
* 5th: Reese Wallace (Barrington) - 144
* 6th: Sarah Scott (Lemont) - 145
* T-7th: Alia Brazeau (Palatine Fremd) - 146
* T-7th: Courtney Beerheide (Buffalo Grove) - 146
* T-9th: Madeline Gutierrez (Hoffman Estates Conant) - 147
* T-9th: Lauren Gauss (Lisle Benet) - 147
The Tiebreaker Controversy
The tiebreaker rule used in the Class 2A boys' finals is a great example of how the smallest details can make a huge difference. Some might argue that the overall team performance should be the only factor, while others appreciate the fairness of the tiebreaker. What do you think? Do you agree with the tiebreaker rule, or do you have another way to determine the winner in such a situation?
This year's IHSA golf state finals were a thrilling showcase of talent, teamwork, and the unpredictable nature of the sport. Congratulations to all the winners and medalists!
