Iowa's best high school boys golfers: Meet the state's top juniors

By Barry Poe

As the Iowa high school spring golf season winds down, we are taking a look at some of the top boys performers. Today, we highlight the juniors. Remember, only Class 1A, 2A and 3A compete in the spring. The Class 4A boys play in the fall. This is not a comprehensive list as there are many outstanding prep golfers in Iowa.

Jack McCarty, Solon

McCarty has been one of the top players on a Solon team that has posted back-to-back Class 3A runner-up finishes. As a freshman, he finished sixth in the state meet with a 153 and tied for 20th last season at 168. He had an 18-hole average of 78 and a combined adjusted score of 39.38, which was 11th in Class 3A.

Luke Harwick, Dyersville Beckman

Harwick was runner-up in the Class 2A state meet a sophomore, shooting a two-day total of 71-75—156 to help his team to a second-place finish. He had 77.78 18-hole average with a combined adjusted average of 39.88. Harwick has already shot a 33 in a dual this season.

Axton Miller, OABCIG

Miller sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Coldwater Golf Links in Ames to claim the Class 2A state title as a sophomore. He finished at 3-over-par 175, one shot ahead of Harwick. Miller had an 18-hole average of 83 and a combined adjusted average of 40.55

Evan Smith, Knoxville

Smith is the top returning Class 3A state placewinner, having tied for fourth at 154. Smith, named an Iowa PGA Junior Player of the Year in 2021, boasted an 18-hole average of 75.13 and shot 73 in his first 18-hole meet of this season.

Joey Currans, Gilbert

Currans already has two top-10 performances in the 3A state meet heading into his junior season. He placed ninth as a freshman with 158 and tied for seventh last spring at 160. Currans had the lowest 18-hole average among sophomores with 73.67 and a combined adjusted average of 37.76.

Roman Roth, Washington

Roth tied Currans for seventh in the 3A state meet last season. The reigning Southeast Conference champion led his team with a 73.38 18-hole average.

Easton Korell, ADM

Korell tied for 10th in the 3A state individual competition as a sophomore, shooting 80-81—161. He averaged 75.80 over 18 holes and 37.57 for nine holes last season and has already carded a 33 this spring while averaging 74.0 for 18 holes.

Trevor Cooke, Spencer

Cooke qualified for the 3A state meet as a sophomore, tying for 34th. He had a nine-hole average of 38.40 and a combined adjusted average of 41.00.

Jonathon Terpstra, Oskaloosa

A state qualifier as a sophomore, Terpstra wound up tied for 37th in Class 3A. He averaged 40.0 per nine holes and shot 74 in his season-opening meet this season.

Maverick Schwabe, Carroll Kuemper

Schwabe shot rounds of 76 and 74 (150) to tie for seventh in the Class 2A state meet at Coldwater Links in Ames last season. The medalist in the Hawkeye 10 Conference meet, he shot an average of 80.30 for 18 holes and 39.03 for nine holes.

Oliver Thompson, Hudson

Thompson tied for 11th in the 2A state meet as a sophomore, shooting 76-76--152. He had a strong season in 2022, averaging 80.20 over 18 holes with a combined adjusted average of 40.70.

Caleb Douma, Hull Western Christian

Douma wound up tied with Thompson for 11th in the 2A state meet, also carding a pair of 76s for 152. Douma is off to a good start this spring, earning medalist honors with a 73 in the Spencer Invitational.

Caleb Ham, Hudson

Ham was another key member of Hudson’s Class 2A state championship squad last spring. He finished 10th individually, just ahead of teammate Oliver Thompson. Ham shot 74-77—151 at Coldwater Links.

Trey Van Roekel, Boyden-Hull

Van Roekel finished in a tie for 20th in the 2A state meet to cap his sophomore season. An all-Siouxland Conference pick, Van Roekel shot 76 in the second round of last year’s state meet.

Brady Hansen, Hudson

The third outstanding junior on the Hudson team that will defend its Class 2A state title this season. Hansen had an average of 80.53 over 18 holes and tied for 20th individually.

Garrett Ham, Lake Mills

Ham was fifth in the Class 1A state meet as a sophomore, firing rounds of 86 and 77 at Ames Golf and Country Club. Lake Mills won the 1A team crown by 15 strokes and Ham was one of the leaders, averaging 39.96 per nine holes with a 40.29 combined adjusted average.

Carter Wilken, Akron-Westfield

Wilken was seventh in the 1A state meet with an 86-80—166 card. Wilken made the War Eagle Conference first team, leading the Westerners to the team title. He had a 40.61 nine-hole average last season.

Hayden Nelson, East Buchanan

Nelson posted a 10th-place finish in the 1A state meet with a 85-84—169 in difficult weather conditions at Ames Golf and Country Club. Nelson is one of four starters returning from East Buchanan’s state runner-up team and was second on the team with averages of 41.84 and 83.98.

Eli Marsh, English Valleys

Marsh narrowly missed a top 10 finish in last year’s 1A state meet, tying for 13th by improving nine strokes in the second round. He is one of four starters returning from a team that tied for fifth at state and brings back a 79.0 18-hole average.

Raiden Ericson, Akron-Westfield

Ericson was part of a five-way tie for 16th place in the 1A state meet last season. Along with Wilken, Ericson will form the nucleus for an Akron-Westfield squad that tied for third in Class 1A.

Ethan Konz, Treynor

Konz averaged 79.85 per 18-hole round last season and 39.37 for nine holes. Konz won the Western Iowa Conference tournament title as a sophomore.

Noah Frazell, Waverly-Shell Rock

Frazell averaged 40.75 for nine holes in limited action during his sophomore season. Look for that average to improve as he played in just six total rounds a year ago.

Jaydon Nabb, North Cedar

Nabb put together a solid sophomore season, averaging 82.57 for 18 holes and 40.45 for nine with a combined adjusted average of 41.01. Nabb tied for 16th in the state meet as a freshman.

Jackson Tennis, Missouri Valley

Tennis averaged 41.96 in 10 nine-hole rounds as a sophomore last season. He qualified for the state meet, shooting a pair of 84s for a 37th-place finish in Class 2A.

Blaine Brighton, Monticello

Brighton qualified for a Class 1A district meet as a sophomore and posted averages of 41.48 for nine holes and a combined adjusted average of 42.34.

Drew Spooner, Cherokee

Spooner shot an average of 41.08 for nine holes and 84.70 for 18 as a sophomore. He will be a strong leader for a young Braves squad this season. He missed qualifying for state by just three shots last spring.

Carter Lamont, Vinton-Shellsburg

Lamont posted a nine-hole average of 41.89 and a combined adjusted average of 41.80. As a seven-year-old, Lamont won the Iowa PGA Drive, Chip and Putt contest and now he’s the No. 1 player for Vinton-Shellsburg.