Allen East
Division III
Conference: Northwest Conference
Coach: Nick Thomas (third season)
2023 league finish: 12-4, first place
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Levi Clum (junior), Brady Brooks (junior), Hunter Williams (sophomore), Eli Franklin (sophomore)
Promising newcomers: Reese Parker (sophomore), Will Friesner (freshman)
Coach’s analysis: “We had a very successful 2023 season winning the 2023 NWC season-long championship. We lost seniors who contributed heavily to our success, so it will be tough to lose them but we have some great kids coming back and two great newcomers that will help our program out this year. I’m truly excited about the 2024 season and I believe that there will be some big things coming for us.”
Bath
Division II
Conference: Western Buckeye League
Coach: Sean Boley (third season)
2023 league finish 5-4, second place
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Connor Raines (senior)
Other key contributors: Karson Green (junior), Kadyn Hall (sophomore), Jacob Lee (freshman)
Coach’s analysis: “We will rely on many new faces to fill out our varsity lineup this fall due to the graduation of four seniors who helped us finish runner-up in the WBL. Our season is going to depend on how quickly the guys adjust to varsity golf, so we’re going to see how all of the pieces fit into the puzzle for the season. There are many golfers that could crack the varsity lineup.”
Columbus Grove
Division III
Conference: Putnam County League/Northwest Conference
Coach: Travis Gallmeier (17th season)
2023 record: 15-16
2023 league finish: 9-7 NWC, sixth; 4-8 PCL, fourth place
2023 postseason finish: seventh place at sectional tournament
Returning 2023 letter winners: Gage Sautter (sophomore), Dalton Hyman (sophomore), Michael King (junior)
Promising newcomers: Clark Keehn (sophomore), Mitchell Schroeder (sophomore), Robby Busick (junior), Isaac Barto (freshman)
Coach’s analysis: “We’re returning three from our top six last season and are very young. We will need to have a few newcomers step up and fill the varsity roster. We look to be competitive in both the NWC and the PCL.”
Defiance
Division I
Conference: Western Buckeye League
Coach: Rick Weaver (ninth season)
2023 league finish: 3-6, eighth place
Returning 2023 letter winners: Casen Linebrink (senior), Boden Stoller (senior), Brayden Weaver (junior), Jaren Honsberger (junior), Drew Hoeffle (junior), Drew Nusbaum (junior)
Other key contributors: Kahlil Logan (senior)
Coach’s analysis: “We return a good portion of last year’s team that finished at the bottom of the WBL. Three of our returners have been playing varsity since their freshman season. We’re hoping to show a vast improvement and finish at the top of the WBL this year.”
Fort Jennings
Division III
Conference: Putnam County League
Coach: Matthew Myerholtz (second season)
2023 record: 15-29
2023 league finish: 2-10, seventh place
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Adam Hoersten (senior), Braden Knippen (senior), Dylan Tumlinson (senior), Ryan Aldrich (junior)
Key depth pieces: Kamryn Browning (senior), Garett Hark (senior), Ian Stechschulte (senior), Henry Rode (sophomore)
Coach’s analysis: “Our team looks to continue to improve from last year’s performance which included a runner-up finish at the Wayne Trace Invitational and two regular season PCL wins. With an experienced core returning, we’ll look to place in the top half of the PCL and challenge for a spot at the Districts this season.”
Kalida
Division III
Conference: Putnam County League
Coach: Kevin Stechschulte (third season)
2023 record: 82-29
2023 league finish: 9-3, third place
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Connor Nartker (senior), Jack Stechschulte (senior), Carson Buss (sophomore), Tucker Anspach (senior), Adam Bockrath (sophomore)
Promising newcomers: Chris Rall (freshman), Paul Stechschulte (freshman), Josh Schulte (sophomore), Evan Langhals (sophomore)
Coach’s analysis: “This is a great group of kids to work with every day. Our goal is to improve week to week and play our best golf at the end of the season.”
Leipsic
Division III
Conference: Putnam County League, Blanchard Valley Conference
Coach: Kevin Brandt (17th season)
2023 record: 25-8
2023 league finish: 12-4 NWC, second place; 3-3 PCL, fourth place
2023 postseason finish: sixth place at sectional tournament
Returning 2023 letter winners: Nick Schroeder (senior), Brevin Brandt (junior), Jake Eding (senior), Lyrric Knisley (senior), Zac Lammers (junior), Andrew Hittle (junior)
Promising newcomers: Richard Cervantes (senior), Reagan Wenzinger (freshman), Ryan Kamphaus (freshman), Sean Reynolds (freshman), Joe Pester (freshman)
Coach’s analysis: “Brevin Brandt and Nick Schroeder will lead this experienced team and look to build on a good season last year. Incoming freshman, Reagan Wenzinger, will add much-needed depth as the third man and we’ll have good in-team competition for spots 4-6. Finding the right combination will be important. We are going to take one day at a time and just focus on improving each day.”
Lima Central Catholic (coed)
Division III
Conference: Northwest Conference
Coach: Zach Weber (first season)
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Nick Nieman (sophomore)
Promising newcomers: Bractyn Jones (sophomore), Parker Baker (freshman), Gabe Sealts (freshman), Nate Warner (freshman), Garrett Narker (sophomore)
Girls: Gianna Cumella (freshman), Lauren Falke (sophomore)
Lima Senior
Division II
Conference: Toledo City League
Coach: Justis Dowdy (fourth season)
Returning 2023 letter winners: Blake Hahn (junior), Eliezer Bermudez Rivera (senior), Adrian Lewis (junior)
Promising newcomers: Jayce Salsbury (junior), Cooper Twinning (junior), Yahir Brito-Diaz (junior), Maxwell Sargent (freshman)
Coach’s analysis: “This year we look to compete for our league title. We have several new parts on our team as well as some returning players that have drastically improved their game.”
Lincolnview
Division III
Conference: Northwest Conference
Coach: Brett Hammons
2023 record: 49-48 overall, 23-10 in match play
2023 league finish: 12-12, fifth place
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Chayse Overholt (junior), Bosten Bailey (sophomore), Holden Price (junior)
Promising newcomers: Bennett Kill (senior), Kreston Mendoza (senior), Grant Zielke (junior), Lucas Grubb (junior), Tyler Eddy (sophomore), Cabot Miller (sophomore), Seth Brant (sophomore)
Coach’s analysis: “We lost our top four guys from last year’s varsity team. I’m looking forward to this year to see how these guys develop. We have guys who like to compete and have been working hard in the offseason. I’m looking for our guys to be consistent and give us a chance in every match that we compete in.”
Miller City
Division III
Conference: Putnam County League
Coach: Todd Pester (eighth season)
2023 record: 17-5
2023 league finish: 9-3, tied for second place
2023 postseason finish: second at sectional tournament
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Will Otto (senior), Andrew Weis (senior), Jesse Lammers (senior), Jude Otto (senior), Brayden Niese (senior), Gavin Vennekotter (junior)
Promising newcomers: Jack Wenzinger, Tyson Rieman
Coach’s analysis: “I expect to compete in nearly every match this year. Last year we struggled with consistency and keeping good scores when we needed it most at the end of the year.”
Pandora-Gilboa
Division III
Conference: Putnam County League, Blanchard Valley Conference
Coach: Joe Bradic (third season)
2023 league finish: 2-10 PCL, sixth place
Returning 2023 varsity letter winners: Camden Verhoff (junior), Derrick Teders (senior), Chase Dettrow (senior)
Promising newcomers: Jacob Green (junior), Adam Buell (junior), Kaden Mullins (junior), Sam Brannon (junior), Paxton Verhoff (freshman), Mackinley Gerten (freshman), Matthew Beall (senior), Jack Buell (junior)
Coach’s analysis: “We are a young team with three varsity letter winners returning. We’re hoping to have good leadership from our returning Seniors. We hope to improve as the year progresses. Having 11 golfers this year is a big group for Pandora-Gilboa”
Wapakoneta
Division I
Conference: Western Buckeye League
Coach: Matt Eley
2023 league finish: 5-4, fifth place
Returning 2023 letter winners: Holden Bowersock (senior), Eli VanMeter (senior), Preston Hinkle (senior)
Promising newcomers: Anderson Hamel (sophomore), Lucas Limbert (junior), Henry Eley (freshman), Ethan Frost (freshman)
Coach’s analysis: “One player is returning from last year’s district-qualifying team and we have a good group of seniors. We also have some good young talent who will gain experience in some varsity matches. We’re looking to have a solid season as we build for the future.”
