The 2025 IHSA Golf State Finals are in full swing, and the competition is fiercer than ever! But here's where it gets intense: after the first round in Bloomington-Normal and Decatur, only the top teams and players have secured their spots for Day 2. Who will rise to the top and claim the coveted state trophies and medals? Let’s dive into the results and see who’s still in the running.
The Illinois High School Association’s boys and girls golf state finals kicked off on Friday, with golfers battling it out across three classes: 1A, 2A, and 3A for boys, and 1A and 2A for girls. The stakes are high—only the top eight teams and the top 40 individual golfers not on those teams advance to the next round. And this is the part most people miss: after Saturday’s round, the top three teams in each class will take home state trophies, while the top 10 golfers in each event will earn state medals. It’s a grueling test of skill, strategy, and mental toughness.
The Peoria area is well-represented, with 24 individuals and four teams competing across the finals. For a full list of Peoria’s contenders, check out this link: Peoria Area Golfers Advancing to State.
Class 1A Boys: Prairie Vista Golf Course, Bloomington
Advancing Teams: Teutopolis (313), Elgin Harvest Christian (317), Fulton (320), Glen Carbon Father McGivney (323), Fairbury Prairie Central (327), Port Byron Riverdale (328), Elmhurst Timothy Christian (328), and Pittsfield (329).
Top 10 Advancers: Wyatt Novotny (Bureau Valley, senior) led with an impressive 70, followed by Jacob Voss (Fulton, senior) at 72, and Liam Lodding (EHC, senior) at 73. Other notables include Coen Pennington (Teutopolis, senior) and Nolan Murphy (Illini West, sophomore), both at 75.
Advancing Area Golfers: Crew Fortin (Illini Bluffs, junior) and Drake Hanson (Lewistown/Valley/Cuba, junior) both shot 77, while Grady Burrell (Delavan, sophomore) finished at 79.
Class 2A Boys: Weibring Golf Club, Normal
Advancing Teams: West Chicago Wheaton Academy (297), Washington (300), Normal U-High (302), Lake Forest (303), Quincy Notre Dame (303), Arlington Heights St. Viator (307), Effingham St. Anthony (312), and Ottawa (313).
Top 10 Advancers: Nolan Eccles (Dunlap, junior) and Owen Coniaris (WCWA, junior) tied for the lead with 69. Gavin Schreurs (Washington, senior) followed closely with 71, and Nick Ratini (WCWA, freshman) impressed with a 72.
Advancing Area Golfers: Nick Herget (Dunlap, junior) shot 75, while Carter Lippens (Dunlap, junior) and Sean Graham (Peoria Notre Dame, junior) both finished at 80.
Class 3A Boys: The Den at Fox Creek Golf Course, Bloomington
Advancing Teams: Evanston (291), Winnetka New Trier (296), Arlington Heights Hersey (302), Elmhurst York (305), Hinsdale Central (307), Moline (310), Geneva (312), and Barrington (314).
Top 10 Advancers: Lester Low (Evanston, sophomore) dominated with a 65, followed by Isaac Rumler (Moline, junior) at 66. Colin Kemp (Pekin, sophomore) and Nolan Adamczyk (Hampshire, senior) both shot 68.
Advancing Area Golfer: Shane Cunningham (Richwoods, freshman) finished with a 77.
Class 1A Girls: Red Tail Run Golf Course, Decatur
Advancing Teams: Mt. Carmel (316), Quincy Notre Dame (329), Breese Central (332), Effingham St. Anthony (356), Breese Mater Dei (357), Rockford Lutheran (358), Downs Tri-Valley (358), and Monmouth United (362).
Top 10 Advancers: Miley Kennard (Mount Carmel, senior) led with 74, followed by Sarah Hyten (Glen Carbon Father McGivney, senior) at 75. Zeme Moore (Mount Carmel, senior) and Merryn Elliott (Carterville, sophomore) both shot 76.
Advancing Area Golfers: Sara Finn (Illini Bluffs, senior) finished with 83, and Sophie Wilson (Macomb, senior) shot 89.
Class 2A Girls: Hickory Point Golf Course, Forsyth
Advancing Teams: Northbrook Glenbrook North (306), Lincolnshire Stevenson (309), Frankfort Lincoln-Way East (315), Winnetka New Trier (315), Normal U-High (323), Hinsdale Central (325), Lisle Benet (330), and O'Fallon (333).
Top 10 Advancers: Grece Leber (New Trier, senior) led with 69, followed by Marthan Kuahara (Glenbrook North, senior) at 70. Alli Wiertel (Oswego East, sophomore) and Madeline Gutierrez (Hoffman Estates Conant, sophomore) both shot 71.
Advancing Area Golfers: Leah Brown (Pekin, junior) finished with 78, and Sydney Hunt (Dunlap, junior) shot 80.
Controversial Question: With such tight margins and young talent rising, are we witnessing a shift in the traditional powerhouses of high school golf? Or will experience prevail in the final rounds? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
For more updates, follow Adam Duvall, Journal Star sports reporter, on Twitter @AdamDuvall or email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. The stage is set for an unforgettable Day 2—who will emerge victorious?
