Whitehall girls golf hasn't yet gotten all its players together in the early season due to various activities, but coach Bill Borgman has plenty to be excited about as the season continues.
One reason is the return of state qualifier Riley Shafer. Shafer had a sterling junior season and has already shown strong form in early matches this fall. After a summer competing on the Greater Muskegon Junior Tour, she's hoping to ascend to yet another level later in the season and compete for all-state honors.
The Vikings' team success will largely depend on how other players improve, and senior Kelsie McClure, who starts the season in the No. 2 spot in the lineup, is one of the most important ones. Borgman believes McClure, too, is on the verge of putting it all together. Avi Mussman is also back and hoping to improve her scores.
Returning starters Avarie Bentz and Ryleigh Hershey will also soon be on the course and should provide solid depth for the team.
A couple of X factors are new players Kadee TenBrock and Paige Barrett. TenBrock is a freshman and Barrett a sophomore, both in their first varsity seasons. If they improve rapidly, they could make a run at being part of the Vikings' team score.
The West Michigan Conference splits into divisions in girls golf for the first time this year now that 12 teams in the league offer the sport. Borgman is looking forward to seeing where his team stacks up among the WMC Lakes' six squads. Montague and Ludington appear to be among the favorites, but once the Vikings get their full lineup playing, they hope to get into the mix.
"Looking forward, I'm hopeful the team will be a steady presence with a full complement of golfers, six varsity players competing at each match, and 4-6 JV players learning so they can compete for varsity spots," Borgman said.
