Fore! Bloomington area golfers are finally getting back on the courses this week as we begin drying out.
Here’s a look at the top golfers to watch heading into this season as they prep for sectional play.
The field at Cascades on June 9 includes Bloomington North, Bloomington South, Edgewood, Owen Valley, Bedford North Lawrence, Brown County, Brownstown Central, Edgewood, Mitchell, Salem, Seymour, Trinity Lutheran and West Washington. Eastern Greene will head to the Terre Haute Sectional at Hulman Links.
Bloomington South
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Colton Watson, Jr.; Carson Gady, Jr.; Aidan Bomba, Sr.; Owen Gerber, Sr.
OUTLOOK: The Panthers have a new coach with assistant Darin Woodley elevated to the top spot and he welcomes back four of the top seven players from last year’s state squad looking for an 11th straight sectional title. They were ranked 13th in the preseason poll. With stars Happy Gilmore, Connor Byon and Luke Garrett all graduating, Watson and Gady are back from the postseason squad. Watson is a third-year varsity performer with two years of state finals experience. He takes over at No. 1 while Gady is playing the 2 spot. “Colton has the most experience and he’s played really well,” Woodley said. “His confidence level, in his shots and decision making is there. He knows the team needs a pretty good leader and someone to be in the 70s every time out. And he’s capable of under-par rounds a well. Carson has made the biggest jump to the No. 2 spot.
Gerber had his own postseason experience last fall as the goalkeeper for the Panthers’ state runner-up soccer team and he and Bomba, hoping his back holds out his year, are 3-4. Joining them is Owen Wisley in the fifth spot. “Wisley and Gady have made the biggest strides since last year,” Woodley said. “They’ve put in the most work in the off-season. It’s a good group.” Sophomore Easton Bellini, a former baseball player, is the sixth man at the moment on a team of 22.
Bloomington North
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hogan Conder, Sr.; Rex Speer, Jr.; Alec Freund, So.; Zayan Farzad, So.
OUTLOOK: Top four for Cougars is pretty well set this year and head coach Harrison Carmichael thinks any of his top three could play the No. 1 spot. Conder returns as one of the area’s best after posting an 82 average last year and head coach Harrison Carmichael will be looking for leadership by example from him. Speer, who plays basketball and Freund, a hockey player, have still found the time to put in work on the golf course to prepare for this season. Farzad is still gaining experience but has quickly improved and showing a lot of potential.
From there, five freshmen, two sophomores and a junior will be fighting for the fifth spot. “We’re very young and we’ll need to see a lot of improvements from our 5-6-7 people for them to ever crack the top four,” Carmichael said. “There’s a big gap.” Junior Coleman Boyd, a three-year team member, and sophomore Foster Larsen, a newcomer, are leading the way but have yet to play in a varsity event. North has added a spot in the loaded Spring Preview at Sultans Runs and will also play in the Fishers Invite at Purgatory on June 2.
Edgewood
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Calvin McDonald, Sr.; Zayne Dwigans, Sr.; Ean Connors, Sr.; Owen McGovern, Sr. Wes Cowden, Sr.; Hank Ripley, So.; Teigan Holbert, Fr.; Ike Wilkie, Fr.
OUTLOOK: Head coach Garry Lee kept all 17 who came out and that includes six seniors, so there’s a lot to like. He has a group with experience and depth to work with as he tries to pare it down to a top 12 or so and then a top five. Mustangs were a distant fifth at sectional last year and have the potential to move up significantly. McDonald has improved his iron play and could crack the 70s and Dwigans can be in the low 80s, Lee said. Ripley, working on a swing change, and his younger brother Jack played a lot this summer as did Connors. Lee is seeing a stronger Cowden come back with better ball control. Holbert and Wilkie, a lefty, can contribute right away, Lee said. “It’s such a toss-up right now to see what we’ve got. We don’t have a bunch of superstars, but we are deep and consistent than we’ve ever been since I’ve been coaching here.”
Also looking to compete are returning juniors John Orman and Reese Hatch with former baseball players Jackson Collier and Aiden Bing bringing their athleticism on board. Orman is out to show more consistency this year. Sophomores Ethan Riley and Isaac Truax and freshman Henry Norris
Eastern Greene
PLAYER TO WATCH: Roman Valentine, Sr.
OUTLOOK: T-Birds have a new coach in Brady Anderson and a team of just six, but he likes their chances of competing well in the SWIAC by the end of the season. Valentine, who regularly earns five letters every school year, will split time again with track (pole vaulting/hurdles). He was Eastern’s low scorer at sectional last year with a 91. “I’m just looking for him to have a solid year,” Anderson said. “He really has a good mentorship quality to him and I’m wanting to see how he handles the pressure. From a mental standpoint, he’s very strong and never gets to high or too low. His short game has improved a lot.”
Sophomore Trevor Cummings, a transfer from Bedford North Lawrence, brings a bit of experience and will find a place in the top five. New players include senior twins Brison and Connor James and two freshmen, Jett Blais and Logan Clark.
Owen Valley
PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jake Cunningham, Jr.; Conner Deckard, Jr.
OUTLOOK: Cunningham and Deckard lead the way this year as the Patriots’ most experienced golfers, having played at sectional their first two seasons. OV has 15 golfers out, but just four back from last year, so it will lean on older competitors who are new to the program as they look to improve on the ninth place showing at sectional. Rounding out the top five early on are juniors Jarrett Wise and Hunter Williams and senior Aidan Christy. “My goals this year are to finish at .500 and get a guy out of sectionals,” coach Matt Beckwith said. “We are going to win some matches and hopefully surprise some teams. We just need consistency and for some new guys to step up this year.” Junior LJ Jenkins and senior Gavin Kennedy are also looking to gain a spot in the top five.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Here are the top Bloomington area boys golfers to watch in 2025