Montague girls golf finished last year impressively, earning a sixth-place finish at the state finals and setting the stage for what could be a very special 2025, as all but one varsity player returns.
However, Wildcats' coach Phil Kerr, while acknowledging the expectations such a finish created, knows his team is not a ready-made state title contender - at least not yet.
"If we take the girls (to the state finals) right now, we won't win anything," Kerr said. "But if they show the growth they're capable of the next two months, we could have a big year. This team is nowhere close to winning anything as we sit here in August, but we're going to push these girls. I think we all know deep down what this group is capable of, so the motivation is there and the hunger is there."
Driving the bus, so to speak, for Montague will be senior Cadence Fox, the lineup's only senior player. Fox emerged as a strong player last season and finished 20th at the state meet, but has taken even bigger steps forward in the offseason. She recently earned the top spot among high school girls players in the summer Greater Muskegon Junior Tour standings, consistently shooting in the low 80s.
Maybe just as importantly, Kerr said Fox is carrying herself like a "true No. 1 player."
"She's made the jumps we've always known she was capable of," Kerr said of Fox. "We've seen the potential in her since she was a freshman, and we've told her and her parents that. This summer, it seems like she finally popped, so to speak.
"She's capable of being first team all-state in Division 4, and she should be fighting for the county and conference titles. I'm excited to see her lead this team. It's her time. I couldn't be prouder as a coach to have her specifically as our No. 1 player. She's the prototype of what you'd want."
Three others who played in last year's state finals - Brynlee Kessler, Addi Smith and Marguerite O'Connell - are also back. All three have enjoyed early success and valuable experience in their careers, and their further development will go a long way toward how successful the season will be. The trio also played in GMJT events this summer.
"Marguerite got thrown in the fire a little bit last year, but we think the world of her," Kerr said. "She might have the most pure talent on the team, although she's the least experienced...Brynlee was all-conference last year. (She and Smith) are both set up for big-time years."
Rounding out the lineup is Molly Mulder, entering her third year in the Wildcats' program. The sixth varsity spot is wide open and could vacillate between any of several up-and-comers, depending on their development.
The Wildcats, never ones to shy away from competition, have gone even bigger than usual with their schedule this year to cut their teeth for a potential postseason run. They're returning to the Jenison Invitational this year after taking 2024 off from that meet, and the following week they'll head north to Crystal Mountain for the Lober Classic. They're also playing meets at Tullymore and at Katke, the latter of which is especially notable given it's this year's D-4 state finals course.
"When you see scores coming in from those courses, we're going, honestly, to get beat up a little bit and get ready for the tournaments down the road," Kerr said of the Jenison and Crystal Mountain tournaments in August. "The scores might not indicate what the team is capable of. We want to see what we're made of early and then regroup."
The Wildcats took second to rival Whitehall in the West Michigan Conference last year, and the teams should be among the league's best again this fall. North Muskegon had a young and talented roster last year and could also be a factor.
