Idaho may have changed the name of those tournaments to 6A and 5A. But the rest of the state may struggle to change the leaderboard with a host of Division I talent and battle-tested members of the junior circuit returning.
This marks the third year with a fall golf season for the state’s two largest classifications. We broke down the top boys and girls to watch below.
Eagle’s Beau Sahr returns to defend his state championship this fall. Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com
Timberline’s Ryan Shepherd committed to Boise State and figures to challenge for district and state medals this season. Sarah A. Miller/smiller@idahostatesman.com
Ryan Shepherd, Timberline
The Boise State commit has one top-10 finish at district and state each under his belt. But he showed everyone what he’s capable of last year in Lewiston, firing 5-under 67 on the second day — the second-best round of the state tournament — to finish eighth.
He was often Boise’s top finisher and arguably their best golfer as a freshman last year, Boise coach Jeff Ulrickson said. He started his sophomore season with a bang, firing a 67 to edge Piron for the medalist honors at the season-opening Jack Jones Invite at TimberStone on Tuesday.
Nic Bischoff-Jones, Bishop Kelly
Steady as a metronome, the senior led the Knights to three straight team state championships with a top-10 finish every year. He took sixth as a freshman, fifth as a sophomore and seventh as a junior. He remains a key to BK’s chase for a fourth consecutive title.
Jacob McFarland, Rocky Mountain
Capital’s Trevor Garus dominated the old 5A SIC district tournament for three straight years. His closest competitor in those three years was McFarland, who finished three strokes behind for a district runner-up finish as a sophomore. Add in a ninth-place showing at state, and he’s one of several golfers looking to fill that power vacuum.
Timberline’s Ella Arnzen won a state championship last fall and returns to defend her title. Darin Oswald/doswald@idahostatesman.com
The Grizzlies’ girls golf team starts the season as the four-time defending state champs , a feat not accomplished since 1993. Urian played a major role in the past two titles, finishing fourth overall in 2023 and eighth in the fall of 2022. She enters the season fresh off a fifth-place finish at the junior state am , and she’s the only returning member of last year’s title squad, leaving her as the leader of a new group.
Maeve Fitzgerald, Bishop Kelly
Carter’s top challenge in the new 5A classification may come from a teammate as Fitzgerald took third at state and fifth at district last fall. Another strong summer that included a trip to the PGA’s National High School Invitational , where she finished 145th out of more than 200 competitors, leaves Bishop Kelly with another deep lineup to defend their team state title.
Claire Hall, Vallivue
Hall broke onto the scene with a district championship as a freshman. She continues to stalk a state tournament championship, finishing inside the top six each year. Her year-round schedule makes her a threat for more hardware again.
Jada Nguyen, Mountain View
The senior remains a quiet leader for the Mavericks, making the state tournament each of the past three seasons, including a 10th-place showing last fall in Lewiston. Her ice-cold nerves keep her even and consistent no matter what the course throws at her, ensuring she and the Mavericks remain in contention.
Eliana Cho, Owyhee
The junior raised the bar for the Storm last year, setting program records with sixth-place finishes at district and state as a sophomore. Look for her to take the next step and contend for bigger trophies and even more history this fall.
TEAM PREVIEWS
Treasure Valley coaches listed the top golfers to watch at each school in the 6A and 5A Southern Idaho Conference below. Note: Caldwell and Capital did not respond to the Statesman’s preseason survey.
6A SIC
Boise: Reid Piron, sr.; Reid Hoppock, jr.; Jack Bureau, so.
Borah: Carson McCarney, sr.; Colton Dennis, sr.; Lucy Johnson, jr.
Centennial: Alexandra Jensen, jr.; Chace Gallegos, jr.
Eagle: Beau Sahr, sr.; Nash Dancer, fr.
Kuna: Roper Allen, so.; Aubri Minnick, jr.; Maddie Hysmith, jr.
Meridian: Brayden Johnson, fr.; Haleigh Thompson, jr.
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