2015 Girls Golf Capsule Previews

League: Division I Northwest

Head coach: David Fish, 11th season

Top athletes: Betsy Branton (Sr.)

Outlook: Branton, who averaged 81 strokes per 18 holes last year, has qualified for the Division I state tournament each of the last three seasons.

“The team returns all five players from last year,” Fish said. “After going through a rebuilding year in 2014, I am excited to have a full team compete in this season’s league matches.”

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BISHOP GORMAN

League: Division I Southwest

Head coach: Jim Stanfill, fourth season

Returning letter winners: Six

Top athletes: Hunter Pate (So.), Danielle Oberlander (Jr.), Sarah James (Sr.), Megan Orgad (Jr.)

Outlook: The Gaels return six letter winners from a team that finished fifth in the Division I state tournament.

Pate, who did not play in last year’s state tournament, is a two-time women’s Southern Nevada Golf Association champion.

Oberlander tied for 11th and Orgad tied for 21st at last year’s state tournament, where James tied for 23rd.

“We expect a very strong, competitive team,” Stanfill said.

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BONANZA

League: Division I Northwest

Head coach: Cheryl Speer, 14th season

Returning letter winners: Two

Top athletes: Rebecca Oertel (So.), Samantha Torres (Jr.)

Outlook: Oertel averaged 91 strokes per 18 holes, and Torres had a 95 average last season.

“Last year, Samantha qualified for the regional tournament, and Rebecca qualified for both region and state,” Speer said. “I am looking forward to their continued improvement for this season. I believe they can both qualify for regionals and state.”

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BOULDER CITY

League: Division I-A Sunrise

Head coach: Andy Schaper, second season

Returning letter winners: Two

Top athletes: Lani Potter (So.), Lauryn Norris (Jr.), Holly Pipper (Jr.), Madisan Walker (Fr.), Ryann Reese (Fr.)

Outlook: Potter, a first-team All-Southern Region honoree, finished eighth in the Division I-A state tournament last year, and along with state qualifier Norris will be expected to lead an otherwise inexperienced squad.

“We hope to play well enough to compete in the state tournament as a team,” Schaper said. “With three new golfers, our goal is to improve with each match and build a good foundation for the future of Boulder City Eagle golf.”

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CANYON SPRINGS

League: Division I Northeast

Head coach: Todd Faranda, third season

Top athletes: Tommia Bailey (Sr.), Jessica Davis (Sr.)

Outlook: The Pioneers aren’t often blessed with an overabundance of golfers, but Faranda is hoping to have depth this year.

“The Pioneers have the intention to field a full team this year and compete in conference play,” Faranda said.

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CENTENNIAL

League: Division I Northwest

Head coach: Charlie Cerrone, 11th season

Returning letter winners: Five

Top athletes: Kianna Arizmendi (Sr.), Nicole August (Jr.), Jade Magana (Fr.), Taylor Scrutchens (So.), Adrianna Bartlett (Sr.), Gabrielle Sundberg (Jr.)

Outlook: Arizmendi is a two-time state qualifier and is one of four players returning from a squad that competed in the state tournament last year.

“If our girls work hard, they should have a solid season and qualify for regionals,” Cerrone said.

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CHAPARRAL

League: Division I-A Sunrise

Head coach: Chris Brody, first season

Returning letter winners: One

Top athletes: Jaqueline Perez (So.)

Outlook: Perez is the lone returning letter winner for the Cowboys, who are focusing on individual improvement.

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CIMARRON-MEMORIAL

League: Division I Northwest

Head coach: Dave Fields, third season

Returning letter winners: One

Top athletes: Rachel Larsen (Sr.)

Outlook: Larsen, a state qualifier last year, is the lone returnee for the Spartans.

“Rachel has worked hard this past year and is now shooting in the upper 70s,” Fields said. “She should compete in regionals and state again.”

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CORONADO

League: Division I Southeast

Head coach: Joe Sawaia, 15th season

Returning letter winners: Four

Top athletes: Sami Penor (So.), Gabby DeNunzio (So.), Ashley Lung (Jr.), Heidi Moser (Jr.)

Outlook: The defending Division I state champions return four letter winners, including three golfers who placed in the top 11 in the state tournament.

Penor placed fifth, DeNunzio was 10th, and Lung tied for 11th at state last year.

“We look to defend our region and state titles with a core of returning players and three talented newcomers,” Sawaia said.

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DESERT PINES

League: Division I-A Sunrise

Head coach: David Anderson, second season

Returning letter winners: One

Top athletes: Jazuel Martinez (Sr.)

Outlook: Martinez, a second-team All-Sunrise League selection last year, is the lone returnee for the Jaguars, who are focusing on individual improvement.

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DURANGO

League: Division I Southwest

Head coach: Mike Gomez, fourth season

Returning letter winners: Two

Top athletes: Jasmin Marayonk (Jr.), Yasmin Bengson (Sr.)

Outlook: Bengson qualified for the Sunset Region meet for the third straight season last year and was a second-team all-region selection.

Marayonk qualified for the state tournament last year.

“Expectations for this year are for both to reach the state tournament as individual qualifiers,” Gomez said.

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FAITH LUTHERAN

League: Division I-A Sunset

Head coach: Mark Cheney, 16th season

Returning letter winners: Five

Top athletes: Sydney Smith (So.), Morgan Goldstein (Fr.)

Outlook: Smith was the runner-up at the Division I-A state tournament last year and leads a list of five returning letter winners for a young team that has no seniors and only two juniors.

Goldstein is a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier and a Drive, Chip and Putt champion and is part of a freshman class that should compete to be in the everyday lineup.

“I expect more maturity from the returning players and some competitive qualifying rounds,” Cheney said. “We’ll continue to emphasize the mental game and daily improvement so that we peak at the state tournament.”

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FOOTHILL

League: Division I Southeast

Head coach: Richard Salemme, second season

Returning letter winners: Seven

Top athletes: Katie Schlichenmayer (So.), Gloria Nam (Sr.), Jasmyn Scruggs (Sr.), Lauren Halvorson (Sr.)

Outlook: Seven letter winners are back for the Falcons who have 14 players on the roster this season.

“The team is looking forward to another great year,” said Salemme, who added that he expected Schlichenmayer to be the team leader. “She has six to seven players behind her that are ready to compete in every league tournament.

“We feel the team will compete at a high level through league play and into the postseason.”

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GREEN VALLEY

League: Division I Southeast

Head coach: Greg Murphy, 11th season

Top athletes: Kat Kares (Jr.), Caroline Thomas (Jr.)

Outlook: The Gators lost one of the top golfers in the state in Mercedes Khumnark, who graduated last year after finishing fourth in the state tournament and winning the Sunrise Region championship.

Kares and Thomas both were second-team All-Sunrise Region honorees and hope to help the Gators return to state.

“We’re looking to compete for league championship and qualify for the state championship,” Murphy said.

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MOUNTAIN VIEW

League: Division III Southern

Head coach: Aaron Horita, fifth season

Returning letter winners: One

Top athletes: Kristine Horita (Jr.)

Outlook: Kristine Horita finished fourth in the Division III state tournament last season and is hoping to contend for a state title for the Saints.

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PALO VERDE

League: Division I Southwest

Head coach: Todd Steffenhagen, fifth season

Returning letter winners: Four

Top athletes: Annick Haczkiewicz (So.), Mikenna Klinger (Sr.)

Outlook: Haczkiewicz is one of the top junior golfers in Southern Nevada, and Steffenhagen expects her to be one of the top golfers in the state this year.

“We hope to be competitive with some solid newcomers this year,” Steffenhagen said.

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RANCHO

League: Division I Southeast

Head coach: Anthony DiOrio, third season

Returning letter winners: Two

Top athletes: Aubrianna Jordan (Sr.), Brianna Krempel (Sr.)

Outlook: Jordan placed 10th in the state tournament last year, and Krempel improved during the season.

“We’re working to get both girls to place in states this year,” DiOrio said.

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SHADOW RIDGE

League: Division I Southwest

Head coach: Steven Huesch, sixth season

Returning letter winners: Four

Top athletes: Katie Thomas (Sr.), Jordyn Metzger (Sr.), BIanca Willrich (Jr.), Kelsey Barnson (Jr.)

Outlook: Four starters return from a team that qualified for the state tournament last year, though the Mustangs must make up for the loss of No. 1 golfer Allison Weiderman to graduation.

“We have a tough league with Palo Verde and (Bishop) Gorman, but are looking for a return trip to regionals,” Huesch said. “The girls have been working hard and are ready to get this thing started.”

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TECH

League: Division I-A Sunrise

Head coach: Kirk Grimm

Returning letter winners: Three

Top athletes: Alexandria Ceballos (So.), Cynthia Krueger (Jr.), Scout Pope (So.)

Outlook: Krueger is in her third season on the golf team for the Roadrunners, who are young.

“We graduated three seniors last year,” Grimm said. “We have players new to golf and will need everyone to improve to score well this season.”

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VIRGIN VALLEY

League: Division I-A Sunrise

Head coach: Chimane Creer, first season

Returning letter winners: Two

Top athletes: Eileen Navarro (Jr.), Megan Israelsen (So.), Kitana Lopez (So.), Tylee Robison (Sr.)

Outlook: Creer takes over a team that has just two letter winners back and is hoping to improve.

“We have struggled in the past to fill a team,” Creer said. “My hope is that this will be a productive year and have some individual success.”

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WESTERN

League: Division I-A Sunset

Head coach: Susanne Bohen

Returning letter winners: One

Top athletes: Valeria Sotelo (So.)

Outlook: Sotelo is the lone returning letter winner for the Warriors, who are focused on individual improvement this year.