Milford’s Jackson Johnson at The News-Gazette’s 2026 All-Area Boys’ Golf photoshoot on Monday afternoon.
Jackson Johnson Milford freshman
➜ Why he made the first team: Johnson was medalist for the Bearcats in nine out of 11 regular-season matches, winning first place at the Vermilion Valley Conference tournament. The freshman held a nine-hole average of 36.9, won a Class 1A regional title and won a playoff at sectionals to advance to state. There, he shot 78 and 77 to finish 21st in 1A.
➜ His favorite club in the bag is … a 54-degree wedge.
➜ His dream career is … in private equity.
➜ His favorite snack on the course is … fruit snacks.
➜ Something that people might not know about him is … I play baseball and basketball.
➜ A movie that he thinks more people should see is … “Caddyshack.”
➜ A teacher that he would like to shout out at his school is … Mr. DeBolt.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are to … play golf in every state, see Niagara Falls and go bungee jumping down a ravine
Mahomet-Seymour’s Dawson Martin at The News-Gazette’s 2026 All-Area Boys’ Golf photoshoot on Monday afternoon.
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Dawson Martin Mahomet-Seymour freshman
➜ Why he made the first team: Martin held an 18-hole stroke average of 79 in his first season with the Bulldogs. He placed fourth in the Apollo Conference tournament and tied for ninth at the Class 2A St. Anthony Sectional. Martin’s sectional performance was a key reason why M-S advanced as a team to the 2A state tournament. Martin shot an 82 and 79 across two days at state to finish in a tie for 56th.
➜ His favorite club in the bag is … my 56-degree wedge.
➜ His dream career is … a head coach for a Division I college golf team
➜ His favorite snack on the course is … apples.
➜ Something that people might not know about him is … I hate watching movies.
➜ A movie that he thinks more people should see is … “Remember the Titans.”
➜ A teacher that he would like to shout out at his school is … Mr. Ryan.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are to … go to the Masters, travel to Italy and golf at a PGA level course
The News-Gazette’s 2026 All-Area Boys’ Golf Player of the Year Central’s Jeremy McCoy on Monday afternoon.
Jeremy McCoy Champaign Central senior
➜ Why he made the first team: A steady member of a formidable Central team, McCoy helped lead the Maroons to high tournament placements throughout the season. Our Player of the Year finished tied for third at the Champaign County tournament, was 10th at the Class 3A O’Fallon Sectionals and finished tied for 22nd at the 3A state tournament after shooting rounds of 79 and 71.
➜ His favorite club in the bag is … a driving iron.
➜ His dream career is … a pilot.
➜ His favorite snack on the course is … a chocolate Nature Valley granola bar
➜ Something that people might not know about him is … I can juggle.
➜ A movie that he thinks more people should see is … “The Pursuit of Happyneses.”
➜ A teacher that he would like to shout out at his school is … Ms. Castillo.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are to … ski in Tokyo, play Banff Springs and eat at a three-star Michelin restaurant
Hoopeston’s Eizen Pyle at The News-Gazette’s 2026 All-Area Boys’ Golf photoshoot on Monday afternoon.
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Eizen Pyle Hoopeston Area sophomore
➜ Why he made the first team: Pyle came on strong at the end of the season while putting together a nine-hole average of 39. Pyle helped Hoopeston Area win a Vermilion Valley Conference title and the school’s first Class 1A regional title. Individually, Pyle made the cut at state and finished 25th overall.
➜ His favorite club in the bag is … a 58-degree wedge.
➜ His dream career is … to golf either professionally or be a golf creator
➜ His favorite snack on the course is … Lays chips.
➜ Something that people might not know about him is … I played travel baseball for seven years before I started golfing freshman year.
➜ A TV show that he thinks more people should see is … “All-American.”
➜ A teacher that he would like to shout out at his school is … Mrs. Eighner.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are to … go skydiving, go to Kansas and play golf with Jackson Koivun
Mahomet-Seymour’s Miles Rasche at The News-Gazette’s 2026 All-Area Boys’ Golf photoshoot on Monday afternoon.
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Miles Rasche Mahomet-Seymour junior
➜ Why he made the first team: One of the more experienced members with the Bulldogs, Rasche carried an 18-hole stroke average of 77.75 and counted towards the M-S team score in every event. He finished tied for third in the Champaign County tournament and tied for sixth in the Apollo Conference tournament. As the Bulldogs advanced as a team to the Class 2A state tournament, he tied for seventh at regionals and shot 79-79 at state.
➜ His favorite club in the bag is … a driver.
➜ His dream career is … a conservation officer.
➜ His favorite snack on the course is … trail mix.
➜ Something that people might not know about him is … that I don’t like school.
➜ A movie that he thinks more people should see is … “American Sniper.”
➜ A teacher that he would like to shout out at his school is … Mrs. Adkins.
Three things on his bucket list are to … go to a pro golf tournament, go to Alaska and go to Hawaii
LeRoy’s Brycen Umstattd at The News-Gazette’s 2026 All-Area Boys’ Golf photoshoot on Monday afternoon.
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Brycen Umstattd LeRoy senior
➜ Why he made the first team: Umstattd broke his own nine-hole average school record by averaging 36.7 this fall. He shot a 69 to win an individual Class 1A regional title during the Tri-Valley Regional at Highland Park Golf Couse in Bloomington and followed that up by placing sixth with a 74 at the 1A Monticello Sectional held at the University of Illinois Orange Course in Savoy. Umstattd wasn’t done yet, though, shooting rounds of 75 and 72 to finish sixth at the 1A state tournament.
➜ His favorite club in the bag is … a driver.
➜ His dream career is … a golfer.
➜ His favorite snack on the course is … gondola.
➜ Something that people might not know about him is … I started golfing when I was 2 years old.
➜ A movie that he thinks more people should see is … “Step Brothers.”
➜ A teacher that he would like to shout out at his school is … Mr. Hawkins.
➜ Three things on his bucket list are to … win a college golf event, go to the U.S. Open and travel the world.