By Becky Walz,
Competing for the Warrior girls’ golf team this spring are (front, l-r) Bailee Frana, Avery Luzum, Kali Kleve, Kendra Elsbernd, Megan Henning; (back) Aubrey Hageman, Kylee Tieskoetter, Katrina Hageman, Paige Jaster, Annie Ondrashek, Julia Carnesi, and Grace Zweibohmer. Missing from photo are Liz Bohr and Brooke Steffans. (Photo courtesy of Zak Kriener/Ossian Bee)
Talent and experience will rule the course for the South Winn girls’ golf team in 2023.
The Warriors return four letter winners who were able to contribute low scores for the team a year ago.
They will be coached by Glenna Munuswamy, who is in her fifth year leading the women.
Looking back at 2022
With just one senior and a total of three letter winners, the Warriors were a young squad in 2022, looking to gain experience on the course. Mother Nature interrupted much of the season, causing reschedules and shortened meets. During the rainy season, the Warriors went 13-11.
In conference action, South Winn finished fourth out of seven, shooting a 474. The Warriors had three linksters on the all-conference list — Katrina Hageman fired a 107 (58-49) in a three-way tie for second; Elizabeth Bohr carded a 119 (62-57) to take 13th while Ruthie Frana fashioned a 120 (56-64) to take 15th place. Paige Jaster rounded out the scorecard with a 128 (64-64). Other golfers on the course at South Winn were Annie Ondrashek (66-64-130) and Brooke Steffans (66-66-132).
At the regional competition at Tri City Golf Course near Luana, the Warriors combined for a tally of 478, finishing fourth in the eight-team regional and bowed out of the postseason. Bohr led the way for South Winn with a 111 (56-55) while Frana had a 114 (57-57). Coming through with a 126 (66-60) was Steffans, while Hageman was one stroke back at 127 (62-65). Jaster put up a 148 (80-68) and Ondrashek concluded the season with a 151 (72-79).
The big four
The Warriors have four returning letter winners. At the top of the list back is junior Katrina Hageman. She was the Upper Iowa Conference runner-up last year and is a two-time letter winner. She averaged 60.39 strokes per nine holes. Fellow junior Brooke Steffans is another two-time letter winner and put up a 63.50 strokes per nine hole average. Elizabeth Bohr earned a letter as a freshman last year, averaging 62.00 per nine holes, while Annie Ondrashek carded an average of 61.17 for the Warriors as a sophomore a season ago.
They will be joined by fellow returnees Julia Carnesi, Bailee Frana, Avery Luzum, Megan Henning, Aubrey Hageman, Kylee Tieskoetter and Paige Jaster. New team members include Kali Kleve, Kendra Elsbernd and Grace Zweibohmer.
“We have several girls who will be competing to round out our varsity team,” said Coach Munuswamy. “This year should prove to be highly competitive, which should result in player improvement and gains for our team.”
Coach Munuswamy added the team is a great bunch of young women who are willing to work hard to improve.
“They believe there is success in store for us and will work to achieve that. We also have some great leadership and experience in our returning varsity girls. Our mindset is our real strength,” the coach noted.
In the UIC
As in the past, Clayton Ridge and North Fayette Valley look to be the teams to beat according to Coach Munuswamy who also believes the Warriors could be in the mix for the top three.
“We have some talented girls with good experience and I see them using that to put our team in good position to earn a top-three spot in conference play. I would like to see us get a little more competitive in our regular season dual meets. If we put pressure on ourselves throughout the entire season, the postseason pressure won’t feel so insurmountable,” said the girls’ coach.
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