CLASS 4A BOYS GOLFERS TO WATCH IN 2026
 

 
JACKSON BELL, ANDALE
 
Bell helped Andale advance to the Class 4A state tournament last spring for the second time in three seasons, tying for third by matching his season-best round of 75 to lead the Indians in the Wichita regional at Willowbend. It was the best finish of his junior campaign and part of a strong finish to the season for Bell, who took fourth in the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail IV tournament at Derby Golf & Country Club. Andale posted second-place finishes at league and regionals. Bell tied for 35^th at state as Andale finished fifth, a one-spot improvement for the Indians from the 2023 state tournament, when Bell finished 48^th as a freshman. 
 

 
GRIFFIN BLOEMKER, BISHOP MIEGE

After coming within a stroke of returning to the medal stand a season ago, Bishop Miege junior Griffin Bloemker enters this spring with unfinished business. Bloemker narrowly missed a state medal at the Class 4A tournament last year, finishing 24th with a two-day total of 163, but still earned honorable mention all-state recognition for his efforts. It was a strong follow-up to an impressive freshman campagin in which he placed 18th at state to earn his first medal. Now a veteran presence for the Stags, Bloemker has been a key contributor to Bishop Miege’s success, helping the program secure back-to-back fourth-place team finishes at the state tournament. 
 

 
ETHAN BRUNGARDT, WELLINGTON
 
Brungardt was one of two individual state medal winners for Wellington last season, joining now-graduated Owen Farley. Brungardt tied for 11^th in his third 4A state appearance, a career best, after closing with a 76 for a two-round total of 158 at Newton’s Sand Creek. The Crusaders, who qualified for state for the sixth consecutive year, missed the 18-hole team cut, but Brungardt and Farley collected their first state medals. Brungardt’s best round last season was a 77 in the Circle Varsity Tournament. Brungardt tied for 38^th in each of his first two state tournaments, helping the Crusaders to a sixth-place finish as a sophomore. 
 

 
ZACH CHANCE, BUHLER
 
Chance, a junior, closed the 2025 season strong with a second-place finish in the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail III tournament and a playoff victory in the Class 4A regional at McPherson’s Turkey Creek. The latter led the Crusaders to a team title and a berth at state, where Chance tied for 19^th individually with a 36-hole total of 162 at Sand Creek to help Buhler finish sixth. Chance was one of two individual medal winners for Buhler, joining now-graduated Drew DeMeyer, who finished eighth. Chance also posted top-10 finishes last season in the McPherson and Andover Central invitationals. 
 

 
HUDSON EDELMAN, ROCK CREEK
 
After making history by becoming Rock Creek’s first-ever state golf qualifier as a freshman in 2024, Edelman made even more history last year by becoming the Mustangs’ first-ever state golf medalist as he finished 15th at the Class 4A state tournament as a sophomore. Edelman was on the outside looking in after shooting a first-round 84. But he came back with a 75 on the second day of the tournament to move from a tie for 34th to a solo 15th with a two-day total of 159. Edelman made huge strides a year ago, going from a low round of 92 his freshman year to a low of 77 last year and finishing with a scoring average of 82.3. His highest individual finish at a tournament was third at the Sabetha Invitational and he posted four top 10s overall.
 

 
ANDERSON HELMER, CIRCLE
 
Helmer has been one of Class 4A’s top golfers since he won the individual state title as a freshman three years ago at Winfield’s Quail Ridge. He has since followed that up with a pair of top-5 state finishes, tying for fifth with consecutive 77s last year at Sand Creek to lead the Thunderbirds to a third-place team finish. The left-handed Helmer, a Fort Lewis College signee, helped Circle collect its second straight Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail III title with a third-place finish, and led the Thunderbirds to last year’s 4A regional title at Willowbend by tying for second. He opened last season with early-April victories in the El Dorado and Wellington invitationals.
 

 
REGAN KUEKER, WAMEGO
 
Kueker had arguably the best season ever turned in by a Wamego golfer last year as a junior, helping the Red Raiders to a Class 4A three-peat as they won by a mere three shots over Hayden. Kueker nearly made it a Red Raider sweep of titles, shooting a two-day total of 143 which left him one shot away from the individual title as well, that captured by Independence’s Ethan Small, who finished at 142. Kueker ended the season with top-10 finishes at all 10 tournaments he competed in, winning titles in five of them, including the North Central Kansas League and Class 4A regional meets. The Tennessee-Martin signee fired a low round of 4-under 68 at Sand Creek Station in Newton and posted a scoring average of 71.4 for the season. Kueker is the lone Red Raider to have started on all three title teams, tying for seventh at state as a sophomore in 2024 and just missing the top 20 with a tie for 21st as a freshman.
 

 
SAM LIEN, BISHOP MIEGE

Lien enters the spring looking to build off a breakout sophomore campaign that put him among the top returning players in Class 4A. Lien made his presence felt on the state stage last season, earning his first state medal with a tie for 11th after carding a two-day total of 158 at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton. His steady play was a key factor in helping the Stags secure a fourth-place team finish. Now with state experience under his belt, Lien returns as one of Miege’s top contributors and a proven scorer in big tournaments. 
 

 
BRECKIN MILLER, WAMEGO
 
Miller broke into Wamego’s varsity lineup as a freshman in 2024 and was an immediate impact, helping the Red Raiders repeat as state champions while finishing tied for seventh individually with teammate Regan Kueker and Independence’s Ethan Small. He couldn't quite keep up with that duo as they battled for the individual state title last year but still moved up a couple of spots to a tie for fifth, shooting a two-day 154 to share fifth with Ottawa’s Cayden Turner and Circle’s Anderson Helmer. Miller helped Wamego pull off a three-peat as the Red Raiders’ edged Hayden by three strokes. Miller finished the season with four top 10s that included third-place finishes at the North Central Kansas League and Class 4A regional meets. He shot 75 for both of those finishes and ended the year with a scoring average of 78.5. He’ll team with Kueker to give Wamego a strong 1-2 punch at the top of its lineup as the Red Raiders go after a Class 4A four-peat this spring.
 

 
REECE ROBERTS, FORT SCOTT

A year ago, Roberts broke through on the state stage, earning his first state medal with a tie for 19th place at the Class 4A state tournament at Sand Creek Station in Newton. He carded a two-day total of 162, capping off a consistent postseason run that helped solidify his standing among the state’s best. His efforts didn’t go unnoticed as he was named a second team all-state selection. Roberts’ junior campaign was highlighted by his ability to win, capturing three tournament titles during the season while finishing third in the Southeast Kansas League. 
 

 
WYATT SHARP, CIRCLE
 
Sharp, a senior, earned his second consecutive individual state medal last season, tying for 11^th to help Circle post a third-place finish in 4A. Sharp finished right around his stroke average of 79.8, carding rounds of 80 and 78 to improve five spots from his 2024 state finish. Sharp notched a victory last season in the Circle Varsity Tournament at Willowbend in Wichita, firing a career-best, 1-under 71 to lead the Thunderbirds to a winning four-man score of 298. Sharp came back to win 4A regional medalist honors last May at Willowbend, shooting a 1-over 73 as Circle took the team title. Sharp has also helped Circle win back-to-back Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail III championships.
 

 
ETHAN SMALL, INDEPENDENCE

Small is chasing his fourth consecutive state medal and a second straight Class 4A state championship after breaking through in a big way last spring. He captured the 4A individual title with a two-day total of 142, edging Wamego’s Regan Kueker by a single stroke in a tightly contested finish. The performance highlighted a dominant junior campaign that also included SEK and regional titles, along with first team all-state honors. His rise has been steady. As a freshman in 2023, Small placed second in the SEK, finished ninth at regionals and earned his first state medal with an eighth-place finish while helping Independence to a runner-up team finish. He followed that up in 2024 by winning both the SEK and regional championships and placing seventh at state, setting the stage for last year’s title run. Now, with three straight league and regional crowns under his belt and a state championship to defend, Small enters the season as one of the top targets in Class 4A.