A season shortened by adverse weather will come to a swift conclusion today and Tuesday at the high school state golf tournaments.
The Aberdeen Central girls' team will tee off today at the Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Yankton in Class AA and the Aberdeen Roncalli girls will follow suit at the Pine Hills Golf Course in Milbank in Class A.
The Roncalli squad is comfortable with the course at Milbank.
"Two years ago, we played that course at the Poet Invite, conference and regions, so we know this course," said Roncalli girls' golf coach Kerry Brandenburger. "The girls like this course and feel comfortable there. They shot some fairly good scores there this season in some bad weather."
The Cavaliers do not have any seniors on their roster but are led by juniors, Sam Bot, Brianna Weber and Brooke Olson. Bot has consistently turned in the top score this season.
"We have a lot of experience with those three and that's good. Our two and three golfers have stepped up and kept improving and improving. It really showed in our team scores. We bring all that experience back next year," said coach Brandenburger.
Sophomore Madison Brandenburger and eighth-grader Christian Berbos round out the roster.
The pre-tournament favorite to win the team title is Parkston, the defending champion. The top five teams from last season all return to the meet topped by Parkston which has won two titles in the last four years.
Seven of the top 10 individual finishers from last season also return. Sydney Bormann of Parkston, who won the individual title, returns as a freshman.
"With the Bormann sisters, Parkston has to be the favorite," said Coach Brandenburger. "Hot Springs played well last year. Sioux Falls Christian is usually at the top. We've played Madison and they have been playing well and Milbank as well."
The Class AA tourney will be played on an older course in Yankton.
"It's a historic course and in town," said Central girls' golf coach Kim Zimmerman. "It plays 5,600 yards, which is not extremely long but not short. It is comparable to Lee Park. It has some older mature trees lining the fairways. Water will come into play on three or four holes. There are some bunkers around the greens and some fairway bunkers. The greens are fast and the rough is two or three weeks ahead of us and very thick. Your position off the tee is very important."
When the Golden Eagles were in Yankton for the Eastern South Dakota Conference Meet, which was played at Fox Run Golf Course in Yankton, Central got in a practice round at Hillcrest.
Several different Central golfers have turned in top scores throughout the season, so the Golden Eagles rely on a team effort.
"We're talking about playing to our average (355 team score). If we do that, we'll be fine. Nobody is going to go out and shoot the lights out (for us). We need to do this as a team," said Zimmerman. "We want to be in the top six and be in the medals and plaques. That's a very achievable and attainable goal."
Central has four seniors: Kayla Krueger, Ashley Rook, Amanda Tobin and alternate Jessica Gourneau. The rest of the team includes Sydney Wirebaugh, Mikayla Santjer and Brianna Kuckelburg.
Sioux Falls O'Gorman is the defending state champion and will be looking for its fourth consecutive title. Zimmerman points to O'Gorman, Yankton (the home team) and Pierre (ESD champs). He picks his team, Watertown and Sioux Falls Lincoln as teams behind the leaders.
The individual state champion should be a dog fight. The top four finishers from last year all return: medalist Hallie Getz of Pierre, runner up Megan Mingo of Yankton, third place Kristin Sabers of Mitchell and fourth place Haliee Pieper of Watertown.
State AA and A Girls' Golf
When: Beginning at 9 a.m. today and Tuesday.
Where: AA, Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Yankton (par 73); and A, Pine Hills Golf Course in Milbank (par 72).
Teams, Golfers: AA, 16 teams, total 92 golfers; A, 13 teams, 38 individuals, total 100 golfers.
2012 Team Champions: AA, Sioux Falls O'Gorman; A, Parkston.
2012 Individual Champions: AA, Hallie Getz, Pierre, senior this season; A, Sydney Bormann, Parkston (in a playoff), freshman this season.