CLASS 1A BOYS GOLFERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

SAWYER CAMPBELL, KIOWA COUNTY

Campbell, a senior, is a two-time top-five state placer for the Mavericks. He tied for fifth at the 1A tournament last year with a two-day total of 149. He placed in the top five in all but one meet during his junior season, which was highlighted by tournament wins at the Kiowa County (77) and South Central (69) Invitationals. Campbell, who is also a standout basketball player, took fourth at the Kinsley regional with a 77.
 

AJ DEGES, HILL CITY

Deges, a junior, is the reigning Mid-Continent League champion after shooting a 77 at Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course. The 77 was a season- and career-low, and he finished his sophomore season with an 82.6 scoring average. He had five top-five finishes last year and took 12th at the Wichita County regional.

 

 
EASTON GLESSNER, CENTRE
 
Coming off a strong freshman season that he capped with a career-best round of 79 on the final day of the Class 1A state tournament to finish 12th, Glessner backed it up with an even better sophomore season. He finished in the top 10 at all 10 of his tournaments, opening the season with back-to-back runner-up finishes at the Solomon and Herington Invitationals that included a then-career-best 78 at Solomon. Glessner got his first career victory at the Wheat State/Heart of the Plains League meet with a 78. At state, Glessner posted rounds of 81-78 to finish at 159 and tie for eighth place.
 

DAXTON HENDRICKSON, SOUTH GRAY

Hendrickson, a junior, has been a key contributor for the last two seasons for the Rebels, who took second in 1A last year after back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. He posted a 78.5 scoring average with a season-low round of 74. Hendrickson produced four top-five finishes, led by a third-place finish in Ashland. He took 10th at the Kinsley regional.
 

JACE HOFFMAN, BISHOP SEABURY

Consistency has defined Hoffman’s career at Bishop Seabury, and the senior enters his final season as one of the most accomplished golfers in program history. Hoffman has been a fixture at the top of the leaderboard since day one, earning top-10 finishes at the state tournament in each of his first three seasons — all seventh place finishes, including a state medal performance last season with a 156. His dominance has extended well beyond state. Hoffman is a two-time regional champion after winning back-to-back titles the past two seasons and placed third as a freshman. Hoffman has finished as the Kaw Valleuy League runner-up all three years of his career. He has finished in the top 15 in all but four tournaments in his first three seasons and holds the school record for most tournament victories. 
 

 
CAEL KOOIMAN, HUTCHINSON CENTRAL CHRISTIAN
 
Kooiman, a junior, posted his second straight top-10 finish at the Class 1A state tournament last season, and it helped the Cougars capture their second 1A team title in four years. With his now-graduated brother Ryland tying for third and Nathan Reed tying for eighth, Central Christian had enough to win by 17 shots as Cael shot 150 over two days to finish seventh at Dodge City’s Mariah Hills. Kooiman added his second individual regional title and another tournament victory last season to earn All-1A second-team honors. He finished with a 76.6 stroke average. Kooiman’s runner-up finish in the 2024 state tournament boosted Central Christian to a second-place finish behind South Gray.
 

BRAXON MANGAN, GREELEY COUNTY

Mangan won the Sharon Springs Invitational last year to notch his first tournament win. He was runner-up at the Rawlins County Invitational and the regional tournament at St. Francis. Mangan, a junior, has a career-low round of 76 and finished his sophomore season with an 83.9 scoring average.

 

LEVI SCHRAG, GOESSSEL
 
Schrag became a state medalist at the Class 1A state tournament for the second straight year. After taking 14th as a sophomore, Schrag finished 19th last year as a junior with a 172 two-day total, nine shots higher than his sophomore state performance. Overall, however, Schrag had a better season last year as he posted top 10s in all six tournaments leading up to state, finishing runner-up at the Hillsboro Invitational and the Wheat State/Heart of the Plains League meets, shooting an 80 at the latter. Schrag earned honorable mention All-Class 1A honors from the Kansas Golf Coaches Association.
 

 
GRAHAM VALBURG, ONAGA
 
The top player on Onaga’s state-qualifying team in 2024 as a sophomore, tying for 25th at the Class 1A state meet that season, Valburg led the Buffaloes back to the state meet as a team again last year as they finished sixth. This time, he earned a state medal to go along with the team performance, moving into the top 20 with a tie for 14th after finishing with a two-day total of 168. Valburg finished in the top 5 in all but one of the rest of his tournaments and picked up two victories last year, taking the titles at the Frankfort and Valley Heights Invitationals. He shot a career-best 76 at the Frankfort meet and won the Heights tourney with a 77. He also had two seconds and two thirds among his top 5s. He was a second-team All-Class 1A selection.
 

 
GAVIN WAHL, SOUTH GRAY
 
Wahl enters his senior season with one of the most decorated resumes in the state. He is a two-time individual state champion and has led the Rebels to two team championships and a runner-up finish. Wahl shot back-to-back 68s to win by nine strokes over Elkhart’s Bodie Higgins at last year’s 1A tournament at Dodge City’s Mariah Hills. He won every tournament last year outside of a third-place finish at the South Central Invitational. Wahl’s season average hovered just under 70, and he shot a season-low round of 65 at Stanton County. Also an all-state basketball player, Wahl is committed to Garden City Community College for golf.