10 CLASS 2A/1A/SAND GREENS GOLFERS TO WATCH
 

 
KYLAN CUNNINGHAM, LAKESIDE

Lakeside returns its entire roster from last year's runaway Sand Greens state championship team and Cunningham leads the pack. Last year as a junior, Cunningham captured the individual state title, shooting a 73 to hold off teammates Terin Winkel (74) and Cooper Brown (75) for the title. A football and basketball standout, Cunningham will go for a second straight title this season. 
 

 
ASHTON DOWELL, HOXIE

Dowell found himself right in the hunt for the Class 2A state title last year when he carded an opening-round 76 that had him five shots off the lead but just two shots away from second. He couldn't quite follow it up to stay there, posting an 82 on the second day, but still finished tied for 11th at state with a 158 total. Dowell opened the year with a tie for first at the Oberlin Invitational with Phillipsburg's Ty Sides and won the Hoxie Invitational with a season-best score of 71. Dowell also claimed the Mid-Continent League title with a 74, beating eventual state champion Parker Krob of Plainville by two shots for the league crown. He was a second-team All-Class 2A selection.
 

 
WILL HEDGES, SEABURY ACADEMY

A fifth-place finisher at the Class 2A state tournament as a freshman in 2019, Hedges wasn't quite able to recapture that form for much of the 2021 season. He still was more than respectable, posting several rounds in the 70s, including a 73 that garnered him a Class 2A regional title. At last year's state tourney, Hedges shot 81-78 to finish at 159 and tied for 13th with Oakley's Ian Fink, who also returns this season. Hedges earned second-team All-Class 2A honors.
 

 
DREW HEINZ, ELLINWOOD

As a freshman last season, Heinz finished 10th at the Class 2A state tournament with a two-day total of 157 that was just seven shots from fourth. Heinz shot in the 70s both days at state and five times overall in 10 meets last season with his low round a 74 at the Russell Invitational. He won two meets, taking titles at the Hoisington and St. John Invitationals, and was an honorable mention All-Class 2A selection.
 

NICK ISON, PITTSBURG COLGAN

After not placing at state as a freshman in 2019, taking 35th, Ison easily snagged a medal in 2021 when he tied for 11th with a two-day total of 158. He began the season with a bang, shooting a 70 to win the Frontenac Invitational by three shots and then remained steady throughout the remainder of the season, posting four straight wins at the Baxter Springs, Pittsburg Colgan, Girard and Galena Invitationals. Ison finished tied for second at regionals with a 71 before his solid state showing, earning first-team All-Class 2A honors.
 

 
JACK KING, YATES CENTER

With the graduation of the top-nine finishers at last year's Class 2A state tournament, King comes into the 2022 season as the top returning state placer. After taking 12th at state as a freshman in 2019, King moved up to a tie for seventh at last year's state tournament as a junior, posting a two-day total of 156. King shot a season-best 71 and tied for second at his Class 2A regional behind teammate Easton Reynolds, who placed third at state. He finished the year with nine straight rounds in the 70s and was a second-team All-Class 2A selection.
 

JAXON KOEHN, SOUTH GRAY

Koehn made quite a debut as a freshman last season, emerging as arguably the top player in Class 1A with a class-best 80 scoring average on the season. The only thing missing from his resume was a state title as Koehn shot an 80 at the state tournament to finish fourth, two shots behind champion Trent Mars of Centralia. He's the top returning state placer in 1A. Koehn had taken a four-tournament winning streak into the state tourney, claiming regional and SPIAA League titles during that run, which started with a season-best 77 to win the Ashland Invitational. He was first-team All-Class 1A.
 

 
ZACH SURFACE, STERLING

Surface's season didn't end quite the way he had hoped after putting together a steady regular season. He matched his high score of the season with a first-round 82 at the Class 2A state tournament and though he improved by four shots on the second day, his 162 left him tied for 15th. Surface had won the Sterling Invitational earlier in the season with a 78 and had low rounds of back-to-back 72s at the Marion County 36-hole Invitational to win that tournament. Surface also posted a 74 to take fifth at the Hesston Invitational in a field that included two eventual state champions. Surface was first-team All-Class 2A.
 

 
TERIN WINKEL, LAKESIDE

If not for teammate Kylan Cunningham, Winkel would have been a state champion a year ago as a sophomore. Instead, his 74 at state was good enough for a runner-up finish with Cunningham edging him by a stroke for the crown. The duo, along with third-place finisher Cooper Brown (75) and sixth-place finisher Eli Hahn (81) led the Knights to a runaway team title as Lakeside won by 62 shots over Beloit-St. John's. All four Knights return this season. 
 

 
GRADY WOLTERS, OSBORNE
 
Wolters helped lead Osborne to a runner-up finish at last year's Class 1A state tournament, tying for 11th at the state tournament with an 87. That was second on the Bulldogs team behind the now-departed Brandon Befort. Only one placer ahead of Wolters at state a year ago returns, South Gray's Jaxon Koehn. Wolters posted a season-best score of 81 at the Hill City Invitational and was a second-team All-Class 1A selection.