The Riverdale and Sherrard High School boys golf squads were among the dominant powers in the IHSA Class 1A postseason last fall.

While the Rams extended their Three Rivers Conference and regional championship title runs to an eighth consecutive year the Tigers brought home their first regional team title and followed with a second straight sectional crown.

Together with fellow Three Rivers member Rockridge  which finished second to Sherrard at both the Galva Regional and the Petersburg PORTA Sectional  Riverdale and Sherrard qualified for the state meet in Bloomington finishing sixth and seventh respectively.

Both teams also graduated significant amounts of senior talent but have regrouped successfully as they prepare for Tuesdays TRAC meet hosted by Rockridge at Highland Springs Golf Course in Rock Island.

We graduated five seniors with (senior) Ethan Kiddoo the only returner with any varsity experience Riverdale coach Trent Groves said. But you know we always have a good feel for whos coming back and whos coming up from the junior high level and we knew wed be really young this year.

This is the first time since Ive been coaching here that weve been this young from top to bottom but weve got some guys who are going to be special for years to come.

The freshman trio of Braden Janicki Mason Smyser and Blake Sutton have made an instant impact for the Rams who are 13-0 in dual-meet action to go with runner-up finishes at their Wayne Brinkmeier Invitational as well as the Rock Falls Rocket Invite and Monmouth-Rosevilles Titan Invitational.

Senior Campbell Brock and sophomore Aidan Dorothy have made the move up from the junior varsity level to help Riverdale maintain its team strength.

Whats been cool is that all four have played some special golf Groves said of his freshman trio and Dorothy. I feel like by the time we get to the postseason well get everything to click.

At Sherrard not only did the Tigers also have to replace a sizable senior group they also have a new head coach as Jason Timerman has taken over for Brett Williams.

But with the junior duo of Andrew Boland and Caden West teaming with sophomore Jacob Fratzke Sherrard has also managed to regroup successfully with an 11-5 dual-meet record and a first-place finish at the Mercer County Invitational among its highlights.