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Golf was the first fall high school sports to start, though COVID-19 has pushed the start date back and shortened the regular season — and remains a threat.
Here's a look from local coaches in Glendale and Peoria at their teams:
Centennial Coyotes
Coach: Cari Bauer (first year coaching golf team after 24 years of girls volleyball) Region: Division II Section V Who are your top returning golfers? Jetta Jasinek, Katherine Miskimen, Morgann Long and Autumn Cobum Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Kyra Bailey, Aubree Thompson, Grace Phillips and Chloe Carlson What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Girls are anxious to be competing again…at anything What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Obviously to keep them all safe yet feel a sense of normality during these times.
Deer Valley Skyhawks
Coach: Greg Rice (3rd year at Deer Valley and 15th year overall coaching girl’s golf) Region: Division II Section V Who are your top returning golfers? My top returning golfers are senior Amanda Willis, senior Alyssa Bouzanquet and sophomore Kirsten Franks. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Sophomores Becky McMamara and Rylee Wieters.
What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our best attribute is our senior leadership. We have two seniors that have worked hard to improve their game and we are looking forward to seeing them do well this season. What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Our primary goal is to improve each match and have the two seniors qualify for state. We are working to improve the overall team scores each match. The events that have transpired the last several months have had some impact. The girls have not had the practice time they need to fully prepare for the upcoming season, but the girls have a great outlook on the season and were excited to get started. Luckily, golf courses have remained open to be able to get some practice in. I am happy to see the girls will get a chance to compete this season in golf. Deer Valley’s home course is Coyote Lakes Golf Course in Surprise and we are thankful to them for use of their course for our girls and boys teams.
Kellis Cougars
Coaches: Erin Swindig (first year), Tina Young (first year coaching golf after coaching softball) Region: Division II Section V Who are your top returning golfers? This season we are starting fresh! All our players from last year graduated so we have no returning golfers. We look forward to building the program with our new team. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? This season we will be working with some amazing young ladies that are new to the sport. They are excited to learn the game ans have fun. We aren't sure yet who will have the biggest impact for the team this year but we do know all the ladies are very eager to play. What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our team's best attribute entering the season is the willingness to learn and help each other out. All the ladies are all in the same boat as far as experience and skill but their genuine desire to grow and to see their teammates grown and succeed is amazing. What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Our primary team and individual goals this season will be to become students of the game of golf and build character that will help the players as they become strong women.
Liberty Lions
Coach: Kyle Pooler (first year) Region: Division I Desert Valley Who are your top returning golfers?Mattie Frick, Brooke McGlasson and Annika Saida. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Two other girls return from last year’s team and have made huge improvements in their game, Annika Gutierrez and Estella Cender. Two new girls to the team are sophomore Keanna Kohatsu and freshman Kaitlin Anderson. What is your team’s best attribute entering this season?I think having the leadership come back from a very strong team last year is huge. We also have good depth this year which will make our practices competitive and girls battling everyday for one of the top five spots.
What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Our focus is going to be to compete for the state championship and we have a few girls that are striving to be the overall state champ.
Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions
Coach: Gavin Tolan (3rd year) Region: Division I Desert Valley Who are your top returning golfers? We're led by our lone senior, Jacie Warfield. Jacie is a two-time state qualifier and should finish her high school playing days with her best season. Allie Sullivan is a sophomore that made state last year. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Our newcomer that is ready to going to make an impact for us is Bailey Pitsch, a junior transfer from O'Connor. What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Allie and Bailey have been playing in tournaments all summer along. What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Our primary goal as a team is make the state tournament. Last year we had five girls qualify as individuals which was fantastic. As the program continues to improve, we'd like this season to be the year we make to State as a team. Personally, I want the girls to have a great time together and hopefully grow their game along the way.
Sunrise Mountain Mustangs
Coach: Warren Faulkner (first year as golf coach) Region: Division II Section V Who are your top returning golfers?All of the players are returning players. Morgan Keller looks to be the strongest player so far. I expect her to qualify for state. Morgan strikes the ball well and is consistent. Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Not sure after one week of practice. What is your team’s best attribute entering this season?From what I’ve seen so far I would say that the girls’ best attribute is a willingness to work hard and support each other. There is a great sense of camaraderie. What are the primary goals for this year’s team?Our team goals are to get better each week and try to qualify for state. Individually the girls are going to take it one match at a time and strive to beat their score from the last match. The girls know that “They’re not as good as they’re going get, but they always want to be better than they used to be.”
Richard Smith Associate Editor | Surprise & West Valley Preps @rsmithYWV
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.