Advertisement

Rochester girls golf at a glance: Teams have sights on improved finishes

jason feldman, post-bulletin, rochester, minn.
·5 min read

Apr. 24—Head coach: Steve Myhro.

Last season: 4th in Big Nine Conference meet

Key returners: Jr. Avery Meyer, Fr. Flora Bolster, Jr. Claire Nelson, Sr. Olivia Boxrud.

Outlook: Meyer, Bolster, Nelson and Boxrud are the Spartans' top four, with the final two varsity spots up for grabs among some golfers who will be new to the varsity. Meyer had an excellent sophomore season, earning All-Big Nine honors. She is in her fourth year on the varsity and has improved her scoring average every season, lowering it to 85 last spring. Meyer is a competitive golfer in the summer, too, playing in Jr. PGA events and this summer she'll play on the Players Tour. Bolster placed sixth in the Big Nine as an eighth-grader last year and also was a fixture at Jr. PGA events. Nelson and Boxrud have good varsity experience. Freshmen Clara Dahl and Whitney Leimbek started the season as the Nos. 5 and 6 golfers and will be competing to hold those positions. Mayo has a dozen newcomers on the team this season, including three seventh-graders whom Myhro said have been impressive so far.

Coach Myhro says: "I feel we will be very competitive this season. I am confident that Avery and Flora will be shooting some low scores. Last year we were 4th in our conference and I feel we can move up this season. Northfield is always strong and I know Albert Lea has a good team with lots of depth and experience."

ROSTER

Seniors: Olivia Boxrud, Ellery Collins, Maya Nordine, Grace Tupper. Juniors: Aaliyah Kamel Eang, Veronica Eich, Isabelle Keller, Avery Meyer, Claire Nelson, Ana vanKoeverden. Sophomores: Shannon Graf, Allison Humke, Jillian Kagol, Lucy Koepp, Fiona Nickelson. Freshmen: Malina Boardman, Flora Bolster, Abigail Carisch, Clara Dahl, Addison Larson, Whitney Leimbek, Eleanor Pacchetti, Vivian Wall. Seventh-graders: Kate Sexton, Josie Meyer, Dylan Raukar.

Head coach: Kevin Coughlin.

Last season: 5th in Hiawatha Valley League.

Key returners: Jr. Ellie Leise, Fr. Kari Faubion, 8th Paige Moeschler.

Outlook: Leise had a terrific sophomore season, qualifying for state, where she was a top-30 finisher. She was also the medalist at the All-City meet and she is a four-year letter winner who, Coughlin says, "can hit the ball a country mile." Faubion lettered last year and is a consistent player who has increased her yardage measurably from last year. Moeschler was a varsity mainstay and lettered as a seventh-grader last season. "She's a hard worker who wants to improve every time on the course," Coughlin said. Among the new varsity players to watch include junior Rachel Tauferner, who played in some varsity events last year; freshman Erin Karau and seventh-grader Stella Collura.

Coach Coughlin says: "With the growth of the program we expect to be more competitive in the HVL and hopefully continue with improving the scores we shoot throughout the season. Last year we were hampered with lower numbers so this season we are planning to be more consistent and get into the upper half of the conference standings."

Head coach: Andy Ollenburg. Assistant: Scott Glandon.

Last season: 4th at Section 1AAA meet, 8th at Big Nine Conference meet.

Key returners: Sr. Ava Fevold, Jr. Bailey Glandon, Soph. Claire Bogenrief, Jr. Addy Timpane, Jr. Torrey Sears.

Outlook: The Rockets have five golfers returning who played extensively on the varsity a year ago. Senior Ava Fevold was named to the All-Big Nine Conference team, while JM's two other top golfers are back, junior Bailey Glandon and sophomore Claire Bogenrief. Juniors Addy Timpane and Torrey Sears also played on the varsity last season. Cate Bogenrief, Esmae Miller and Mia Webb are all second-year golfers who could possibly see some varsity action this season. Coach Andy Ollenburg said the First Tee program and Northern Hills golf pro Mike Manahan have been very helpful in building the JM program up.

Coach Ollenburg says: "We have a lot of varsity experience we can fall back on this season and hope to use this to improve upon last year's seventh-place finish in the Big 9. ... Scott Glandon is our assistant coach for both the boys and girls teams at JM. He has to juggle the schedules of two teams and does a great job of helping both our boys and girls golf teams."

ROSTER

Seniors: Ava Fevold. Juniors: Bailey Glandon, Torrey Sears, Addyson Timpane. Sophomores: Claire Bogenrief, Olivia Ruzek. Freshmen: Miriam Brown, Sophia O'Reilly. Eighth-graders: Cate Bogenrief, Carina Johnson, Ashtyn Krenke, Esmae Miller, Kaleigh Risser, Amelia Webb. Seventh-graders: Eliza Brown, Hailey Scheppmann.

Head coach: Aaron Berg. Assistant: Tim O'Neill.

Last season: 7th at Section 1AAA meet, 10th at Big Nine Conference meet.

Key returners: Jr. Briar Daire, Jr. Elizabeth Youngman, Jr. Ciara Church, Soph. Josie Weber.

Outlook: The Panthers have four strong players back from last year's team that qualified for the final round of the Section 1AAA meet. Three are juniors — Daire, Youngman and Church. Coach Berg says Daire is "consistent and continues to work at improing her game," while Church "has a natural swing and can make things happen on the course." Church has missed the early part of the season with an injury, but is expected back soon. Youngman, meanwhile, "does a great job of bouncing back during a round to stay in it," Berg said. Sophomore Josie Weber is one of the team's best putters and has plenty of varsity experience. Senior Steda Lundak and sophomore Kasie Morrissey are newcomers who are expected to be in the mix for varsity spots. Lundak is a long hitter who the potential to shoot some low scores, while Berg calls Morrissey "competitive and determined."

Coach Berg says: "Our goal this season is to finish in the top half of the Big 9 and our section. To make this happen we will need to see steady improvement as the season progresses. The girls are a fun bunch of golfers who do a great job of supporting each other and lifting each other up."

ROSTER

Seniors: Steda Lundak. Juniors: Ciara Church, Briar Daire, Alivia Lancaster, Elizabeth Youngman. Sophomores: Kasey Morrissey, Josephine Weber, Isabella Zemple. Freshmen: Tea McEachern. Eighth-graders: Kylie Bruce, Cora Erickson, Layla Price. Seventh-graders: Paiten Anderson, Stella Link, Joanna Richard.