Iowa player of year
Sam Johnson, Pleasant Valley
Johnson pieced together a memorable senior season for the Spartans. He was the Mississippi Athletic Conference medalist and district medalist along with a 12th-place finish at the Class 4A state tournament.
The southpaw recorded the lowest 36-hole total in school history at the MAC tournament, shooting rounds of 72 and 67 at Midland Golf Club outside of Kewanee for a nine-stroke victory. He had a 1-under 71 at Glynns Creek to power PV to its fifth straight district championship.
At the state tournament, held at Elmcrest Country Club in Cedar Rapids, Johnson had back-to-back rounds of 75. Johnson was medalist at the Western Dubuque Invitational at Thunder Hills this season with a 1-under 70. He finished the year with an 18-hole stroke average of 73.23.
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Illinois player of year
Hayden Moore, Geneseo
The junior was the Illinois High School Association Class 2A state runner-up after rounds of 72 and 70 at the Weibring Golf Club in Normal. Moore was third at the Western Big 6 Conference meet in Galesburg with a 72 and then tied for third at the regional meet at Valley View Club in Cambridge with a 5-over 77. His score helped propel Geneseo to a regional team title.
Moore was the only Geneseo golfer to advance to the state tournament after posting a 77 at the Limestone Sectional in Bartonville to finish in a three-way tie for 12th place.
Moore had team-best scoring averages of 34.2 for nine holes and 73.5 for 18 holes this fall. He set the nine-hole course record at Country View with a 30 and then matched it the next day. He also earned medalist honors at Wayne Brinkmeier Invitational at Byron Hills with a 4-under 67.
First team
Ethan Blomme, so., Pleasant Valley: The first team all-conference performer had the team’s second-best 18-hole scoring average at 76. He shot rounds of 74 and 74 at the MAC tournament to finish in a tie for second and had an even-par 72 at districts to place second.
Jack Curnyn, sr., Moline: Turned in an even-par 71 for a runner-up finish at the Big 6 meet in Galesburg that sparked Moline to its first league title since 1998. Fourth at the Peoria Notre Dame Invitational, he was 11th at the Bradley-Bourbonnais Regional with an 82. Had team’s second-best average of 78.
Greer Peters, fr., Moline: Collected invitational victories at Peoria Notre Dame and Sterling along with being the low freshman at Quincy Invitational. The first team All-Big 6 performer was fourth at conference with a 74 and runner-up at Bradley-Bourbonnais Regional with a 75. Had team-best average of 76.
Keaton Thissen, sr., Assumption: The team’s No. 1 player had rounds of 75 and 70 at the Class 4A state tournament to finish a career-best sixth place. He was first team all-MAC after rounds of 70 and 80 at Midland Golf Club. He closed the season with a MAC-best 18-hole scoring average of 72.67.
Owen Wright, jr., Pleasant Valley: Posted rounds of 75 and 73 to finish tied for second at the MAC meet to earn first team all-league honors. He turned in a 74 at districts and had rounds of 81 and 80 at state tournament. Wright had season-low 71 at Iowa City West Invitational.
Second team
Cal Behm, sr., North Scott: A first team All-MAC selection after rounds of 79 and 73 at the conference tournament, Behm had the Lancers’ low 18-hole scoring average at 78.09 strokes.
John Dobbe, sr., North Scott: Dobbe shot an even-par and season-low 72 at districts to qualify for the state tournament. The four-year varsity contributor had a season scoring average of 78.36.
Chase Hadley, so., Rock Island: Earned first team All-Big 6 honors after tying for fifth at the conference tournament in Galesburg with a 75. He advanced to sectionals after his 84 at the regional tournament. Had stroke average of 79.
Tayt Hager, sr., Geneseo: Hager placed ninth at the Big 6 meet with a 78, was seventh at the 2A regional with an 81 and broke 80 at sectionals. Had the third-best scoring average (79.2) on a regional championship team.
Vaughn Roseman, fr., North Scott: Roseman had the sixth best scoring average in the state among freshman at 78.3. He was first team All-MAC after rounds of 78 and 72. Was Lancers’ No. 2 scorer at districts with a 78.
Andrew Tillman, so., Pleasant Valley: Made second team All-MAC after firing 82 and 78 at Midland Golf Club. Finished the fall with team’s third-best scoring average (77.93), including a season-low 71 at the Metamora Invitational.
Bryson Van Houtte, so., Geneseo: Tied for seventh at the 2A regional in Cambridge with an 81 and followed with the same score at sectionals. He had team’s second-best scoring average (36.5 for nine, 78.1 for 18).
Honorable mention
Assumption: Calen Graw, fr.; Brady Johnson, sr.
Bettendorf: Ethan Herring, jr.; Brady Huskey, fr.
Central DeWitt: Jacob Brokaw, sr.; Carter Drury, sr.; Max Froeschle, fr.
Davenport Central: Brody Miguel, jr.
Geneseo: Samuel Robinson, sr.
Moline: Andre Marriott, jr.
Muscatine: Michael Henderson, sr.
North Scott: Jack Gomez, so.; Drew Sacia, sr.
Pleasant Valley: Jack Blackwell, so.; Connor Borbeck, sr.
Rock Island: Carson Banks, so.