CLASS 6A BOYS GOLFERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

HUDSON BENNISH, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Shawnee Mission East enters the spring with championship expectations once again, and senior Hudson Bennish will be a key piece in the Lancers’ title defense. One of three returning state medalists from a team that has won two of the last three state championships, Bennish brings both experience and consistency to the top of East’s lineup. He earned a 15th-place finish at last year’s Class 6A state tournament, carding a two-day total of 148, and followed it up with first-team all-state honors from the Kansas Golf Coaches Association. As a sophomore, Bennish earned a sixth place state medal and was also a part of the Lancers’ state title team his freshman season. 
 

STUART BOULWARE, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Boulware emerged as a key piece in the Lancers’ state championship push a season ago, turning in a third-place finish with a two-day total of 140 — just a few strokes shy of the individual title. With the team race hanging in the balance, it was Boulware who provided a defining moment, draining a birdie putt on the final hole to give East the cushion it needed to secure the championship by two strokes over Blue Valley North. It marked the second straight state medal for Boulware, who announced himself as a freshman with an 11th-place finish before making a significant jump into the top three as a sophomore and was a Kansas Golf Coaches Association second-team all-state selection. 
 

 
JACK BUTTERBAUGH, OLATHE NORTHWEST

Butterbaugh made a statement in his sophomore campaign, emerging as one of the Sunflower League’s top golfers and carrying that momentum onto the state stage. Butterbaugh turned in a steady, composed performance at the Class 6A state tournament, earning his first career medal with a 19th-place finish. The junior-to-be carded a two-day total of 150, navigating the pressure of the state’s biggest stage. That body of work didn’t go unnoticed, as Butterbaugh was named a first team all-state selection following the season. 
 

 
CADE COCHRAN, MANHATTAN
 
Cochran was a key member of Manhattan’s team that tied a school record with a team score of 288 in capturing the Centennial League title and ended the season with a third-place finish at the Class 6A state meet, just seven shots out of first. Now a four-year starter in the varsity lineup, Cochran posted four top-five finishes on the season and had a low round of 72. He placed fourth at regionals and finished the season with a 75.5 scoring average. Cochran missed out on a state medal by one stroke, tying for 21st at the state meet with a two-day total of 151.
 

ELLIOTT COWDEN, SHAWNEE MISSION EAST

Cowden has been a model of consistency throughout his high school career, and he’ll look to cap it off with his best season yet this spring. A three-time state medalist, Cowden continued his steady rise a year ago at the Class 6A state tournament, finishing 11th overall with a two-day total of 146 at Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield. Cowden played a key role in helping the Lancers secure their second consecutive state team championship, providing reliable scoring in a lineup loaded with experience. An honorable mention all-state selection by the Kansas Golf Coaches Association, Cowden enters his senior season as one of the Lancers’ most dependable veterans as he hopes to lead them to another state crown. 
 

 TATE EDWARDS, OLATHE SOUTH

As a sophomore, Edwards consistently put himself in contention a year ago, recording five top-10 individual finishes while showcasing both consistency and the ability to close. His biggest moment came at the Sunflower League Championships, where Edwards captured the individual title across the three-round event, solidifying himself as one of the premier players in one of the state’s toughest leagues. He carried that momentum into postseason play, finishing runner-up at the regional tournament to secure his spot among the state’s elite. For his efforts, Edwards earned first-team All-Sunflower League honors, was crowned the league’s individual champion, and garnered second-team all-state 6A recognition. 
 

 
CHARLIE HANEY, MANHATTAN
 
Expectations were high for Haney during his freshman season for the Indians and for the most part he lived up to them. Haney captured tournament titles at four meets and had two other top-five finishes. That included a fifth-place showing at the Class 6A state meet as he helped Manhattan to a third-place team finish, just seven shots shy of champion Shawnee Mission East. His two-day total of 142 (70-72) left him just six shots behind state champion Brady Rapp of Blue Valley North and tied with teammate Tate Reid and Olathe Northwest’s Nick VanWyngarden. His 70 at the state meet matched his low round of the season and he was the model of consistency, finishing with a 72.6 scoring average. Haney continued the momentum through the summer, winning the stroke play portion of the Kansas Amateur.
 

JOE HONN, BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST

A team captain as a junior, Honn returns as one of the Eastern Kansas League’s top players after earning first-team all-league honors a season ago. He followed that up with an honorable mention all-state selection, solidifying himself as a consistent presence throughout the year with a 75 scoring average. Honn saved his best for the biggest stage. At the Class 6A state tournament in Winfield, he fired a school-record 3-under 69 in the second round on his way to an 11th-place finish and a two-day total of 146 to earn a state medal. A two-time letter winner, Honn has already proven he can go low — highlighted by a hole-in-one during the season — and now enters his junior campaign as the leader for the Huskies. 
 

GRAYSON KELSO, OLATHE SOUTH

Olathe South will look to build on last season’s success behind the steady play of Kelso, who returns after a breakout junior campaign. Kelso proved himself as one of the Falcons’ most consistent performers, recording four top-10 finishes throughout the season while navigating a competitive Sunflower League schedule. Kelso placed ninth at the regional tournament to qualify for state, where he delivered when it mattered most. Competing on the big stage, he earned a state medal with a 15th-place finish and a two-day total of 148. His best performance came in the final round, when he fired a 1-under 71 — his lowest score of the season — to climb the leaderboard. An honorable mention All-Sunflower League selection, Kelso enters his senior season poised to take another step forward. 
 

DREW KRYSTYN, BLUE VALLEY NORTH

A key piece of the Mustangs’ state runner-up finish a year ago, Krystyn earned a ninth-place medal at the 6A state tournament with a two-day score of 144, as he helped the Mustangs to a state runner-up team finish. Krystyn’s junior campaign was filled with accolades, including first team all-state and first team All-Eastern Kansas League honors while helping North capture the EKL team title. Known for his steady play, he posted a 72.2 scoring average last season and has recorded eight career rounds at even par or better. For his career, the Saint Mary’s College signee owns a 75.1 average.  A two-time first team All-EKL selection, Krystyn brings both experience and leadership into his senior year as the Mustangs once again contend for a state title.  
 

CONNOR MACGEE, BLUE VALLEY

After a breakthrough sophomore season that put him among the state’s best, MacGee enters the spring as one of the top contenders in Class 6A. MacGee turned heads a year ago at the state tournament in Winfield, finishing as the 6A state runner-up after carding a two-day score of 137, good for 7-under par at Quail Ridge. He came up just one stroke shy of the title behind Blue Valley North’s Brady Rapp, but his performance helped earn him his first state medal. The Tiger standout also helped Blue Valley contend at the team level, as the Tigers finished fourth at state, narrowly missing out on a trophy after a tiebreaker loss to Manhattan for third place. For his efforts, MacGee was named a first team all-state selection. 
 

TALON NASONE, WICHITA EAST
 
Nasone’s consistency has been a hallmark throughout his first three seasons for the Blue Aces. He has piled up top-5 finishes, qualified for state each year and won a regional title as a sophomore. Last year, he posted a 74.6 stroke average with two victories and eight finishes of fourth or better, including third place at the Greater Wichita Athletic League championships and fourth in the Class 6A regional at Dodge City. All that seems to be missing is a big performance at state, where he has finished tied for 37^th, 23^rd and 30^th. Last summer, Nasone advanced through stroke-play qualifying to the 64-player match-play bracket in the Kansas Amateur at Firekeeper Golf Course, site of this year’s 6A state tournament. 
 

BRADY RAPP, BLUE VALLEY NORTH

Rapp enters his final high school season as the standard in Class 6A golf after a dominant junior campaign. Rapp captured the 2025 6A individual state championship with a two-day score of 136, edging Blue Valley’s Connor MacGhee by a single stroke, while also leading the Mustangs to a runner-up team finish. A first-team all-state selection, Rapp also swept the Eastern Kansas League individual title and helped North to the EKL team championship. Rapp’s résumé continues to stack up historically at Blue Valley North. He owns a school-record round of 66 (-6), has five career rounds in the 60s and holds three of the five lowest scores in program history. After a sixth-place state finish as a freshman and second-team all-state honors in 2024, Rapp reached the pinnacle last spring and now looks to close his career on top once again. A University of Kansas commit, Rapp will be one of the top players to watch in the state as he chases a second straight 6A title.
 

MADDOX SUNDET, BLUE VALLEY

Blue Valley’s lineup a season ago featured one of the state’s top finishers in Connor MacGhee, but it was the emergence of then-freshman Sundet that gave the Tigers impressive depth—and a glimpse of the future. Now a sophomore, Sundet enters the spring coming off a standout debut campaign that saw him finish eighth overall at the Class 6A state tournament in Winfield. Sundet carded a two-day score of 143 to secure his first state medal, joining MacGhee in the top 10 and helping Blue Valley contend for a team plaque. Sundet’s season was marked by more than just his state performance. Earlier in the year, he made headlines by winning the Kansas City Match-Play Championship, becoming the second youngest champion in the tournament’s long history.  
 

 
HENRY THOMPSON, FREE STATE

Thompson enters his final season looking to build on a breakthrough junior campaign that put him among the top golfers in Class 6A. Thompson earned his first state medal last spring, finishing 13th overall at the 6A state tournament in Winfield with a two-day total of 147. His postseason run didn’t stop there. Thompson captured a regional championship at Topeka Country Club, carding a 2-over par performance to secure the title and carry momentum into state. He was later recognized as an honorable mention all-state selection.