PREVIEW: Tiger and Spartans set sights on Hurricanes

Heart O’ North Conference teams will be chasing the Hayward Hurricanes again this season in girls golf.

Hayward remains the favorite in the HON after finishing undefeated last year in the regular season and winning the HON Championships. The Hurricanes also advanced to the Wisconsin Girls Division 2 State Championship, where they finished fourth.

Hayward returns two of its best golfers from 2011 and has opened its 2012 season in perfect fashion so far. Brittany Neff, who tied for eighth place individually at state in 2011, and Emilee McCusker are expected to lead the Hurricanes. The seniors both earned all-conference honors last season and were named honorable mention selections for the 2011 Wisconsin Golf Coaches Association All-State Girls Golf Team.

Northwestern Tigers

Last season, Northwestern High School coach Steve High’s favorite saying was, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

This year, High and the Tigers are looking to build on their experience from 2011.

Northwestern’s numbers are down slightly from last year, when the Tigers had 12 players. Nine girls are golfing for the Tigers this season, led by senior Gwen LaPole and junior Molly Lattery returning as the team’s top golfers. LaPole was named to the 2011 HON All-Conference team.

Juniors Reggie Semanko and Macy Meteraud also have varsity experience from last season and will be joined by senior Alex Delvas. Rounding out the team is a trio of sophomores — Lyndi Graff, Marissa Delvas and Kayla Janowicz — and freshman Cora Jarman.

The Northwestern girls began their season Aug. 10 with a scramble in Barron. The Tigers carded a 66 (four under par) to place second overall in the small schools division.

On Aug. 13, the Tigers traveled to Spooner to take on Spooner and Superior in their first Heart O’ North conference match of the year. The Tigers posted a team score of 207. Spooner also posted a team score of 207 and Superior had a 231. After deciding the winning team with tie-breakers, the Tigers finished the day with one conference win and one loss.

LaPole and Lattery led the Tigers, each shooting a 46. Semanko carded a 56 and Graff completed the team’s score with a 59.

On Aug. 15, the Tigers hosted Barron and Cumberland in a home meet at Botten’s Golf Course in Lake Nebagamon. The Tigers picked up two conference points with a team score of 218. Cumberland finished second with a 232, and Barron scored a 273.

Lattery led the Tigers with a score of 50. Semanko carded a 53, Graff had a 56 and Marissa Delvas had a 59.

The Tigers were back in action Friday at the Hayward Invitational, where they placed seventh of 14 teams. The Hurricanes won their own invitational with a team score of 350, which was 15 strokes better than second-place Osseo-Fairchild. Northwestern finished with a team score of 427, and Superior took 10th place with a score of 490.

Lattery was again the top golfer for the Tigers, carding a 98. She was followed by Marissa Delvas (107); Semanko (109), Graff (113) and Alex Delvas (non-counting 128).

2012 Northwestern Tigers

Alex Delvas, Sr.; Marissa Delvas, So.; Lyndi Graff, So.; Kayla Janowicz, So.; Cora Jarman, Fr.; Gwen LaPole, Sr.; Molly Lattery, Jr.; Macy Meteraud, Jr.; Reggie Semanko, Jr.

2012 Northwestern Schedule

Fri., Aug. 10 at Barron, 9:30 a.m.

Mon., Aug. 13 at Spooner, 2 p.m.

Wed., Aug. 15 vs. Barron, noon

Fri., Aug. 17 at Hayward Invite, 9 a.m.

Mon., Aug. 20 at Ladysmith, 12 p.m.

Tue., Aug. 21 at Superior Invite, 9 a.m.

Thur., Aug. 23 vs. Chetek/Hay., noon

Tue., Aug. 28 vs. Spooner, Sup., 4 p.m.

Wed., Aug. 29 at Barron, 2 p.m.

Thur., Sept. 6 home vs. Lady., 4 p.m.

Mon., Sept. 10 at Hayward, 4 p.m.

Thur., Sept. 13 NHS Invite, 9 a.m.

Wed., Sept. 19 HON at Chetek, 9 a.m.

Sept. 26-27 WIAA Regional, TBA

Oct. 1-3 WIAA Sectional, TBD

Oct. 8-9 WIAA State at Madison

Superior Spartans

A small but determined group will hit the greens for the Superior High School girls golf team in 2012.

Just six players make up the Spartan team, led by returning seniors Kali O’Neill and Alisha Moran.

Joining the senior duo are sophomores Samantha Aune, Amanda Hinaus and Allison Shober and freshman Hailey Gronquist.

Andy Heytens takes over as head coach of the SHS girls this season. He was a member of the 2010 Spartan boys golf team that advanced to the Division 1 state tournament, which was the first team to earn a state golf berth since 2000. Since then the boys team has advanced to the state tournament for three straight seasons.

The SHS girls are hoping for similar success.

The last time the Spartan girls sent a golfer to Madison was 2010, when Janelle Strewler qualified as an individual.

With a younger team this season, the Spartans will need to build confidence and gain experience in 2012.

Superior’s youngest player, Gronquist, has gotten off to a fast start. She was Superior’s top golfer at both the Hayward Invitational on Aug. 17 and Superior’s triangular meet with Hayward and Barron on Aug. 20.

2012 Superior Spartans

Samantha Aune, So.; Hailey Gronquist, Fr.; Amanda Hinaus, So.; Alisha Moran, Sr.; Kali O’Neill, Sr.; Allison Shober, So.

2012 Superior Schedule

Mon., Aug. 13 at Spooner, 2 p.m.

Wed., Aug. 15 at N.R. Invite, 8:30 a.m.

Thur., Aug. 16 vs. Chetek, 10 a.m.

Fri., Aug. 17 at Hayward Invite, 9 a.m.

Mon., Aug. 20 vs. Barron/Hay., 9 a.m.

Tue., Aug. 21 Superior Invite, 9 a.m.

Fri., Aug. 24 at Cumberland, TBD

Tue., Aug. 28 at Northwestern

Wed., Aug. 29 at Chetek, TBD

Fri., Sept. 7 at Hayward, 4 p.m.

Tue., Sept. 11 vs. Cumberland, 4 p.m.

Thur., Sept. 13 at NHS Invite 9:30 a.m.

Wed., Sept. 19 HON at Chetek, 9 a.m.

WIAA Tournament

Wed., Sept. 26 Reg. at New Rich., 9 a.m.

Mon., Oct. 1 Sectionald at Stevens Pt

Mon., Oct. 8 State at Madison

Tue., Oct. 9 State at Madison

Recent Results

New Richmond Invitational

Aug. 15

Team results

1. New Richmond, 354; 2. River Falls, 377; 3. Rice Lake, 383; 4. Eau Claire North, 392; 5. Amery, 402; 6. Osceola, 404; 7. Hudson, 407; 8. Baldwin-Woodville, 433; 9. Prescott, 433; 10. Somerset, 452; 11. Superior, 471; 12. St. Croix Central, 482; 13. Eau Claire Memorial, 500; 14. Ellsworth, 509.

Superior results

Alisha Moran, 115; Allison Shober, 121; Hailey Gronquist, 122; Kali O’Neill, 133.

Hayward Invitational

Aug. 17

Team Results

1. Hayward, 350; 2. Osseo-Fairchild, 365; 3. Eau Claire North, 368; 4. Osceola, 373; 5. Eau Claire Regis, 388; 6. Spooner, 413; 7. Northwestern, 427; 8. Luck-Unity, 451; 9. Ladysmith, 485; 10. Superior, 490; 11. Barron, 553; 12. St. Croix Falls, 581; 13. Cumberland, DNQ; 14. Chetek-Weyerhaeuser, DNQ.

Individual Results

1. Casey Danielson, Osceola, 72; 2. Brittany Neff, Hayward, 76; 3. Avery Steen, 80; 4. Kaitlyn Alvarez, Eau Claire North, 81; 5. Kim Kittleson, Osseo-Fairchild, 82; 6. Amanda Eisenhuth, Eau Claire Regis, 84; 7. Emilee McCusker, Hayward, 88; 8. Kaitlyn Peichel, Cumberland, 89; 9. Aly Tremblay, Hayward, 89; 10. Danielle Langner, Oseeo-Fairchild, 90.

Northwestern

Molly Lattery, 98; Marissa Delvas, 107; Reggie Semanko, 109; Lyndi Graff, 113; Alex Delvas, 128.

Superior

Hailey Gronquist, 113; Kali O’Neill, 113; Allison Shober, 113; Samantha Aune, 151.

Hayward Triangular

Aug. 20

Team Results

1. Hayward, 161; 2. Superior, 198; 3. Barron, 247.

Individual Results

1. Emily McCusker, Hayward, 38; 2. Brittany Neff, Hayward, 39; 2. Aly Tremblay, Hayward, 39; 4. Ashley Hansen, Hayward, 45; 5. Rachel Radcliffe, Hayward, 47; 6. Hailey Gronquist, Superior, 48; 7. Kali O’Neill, Superior, 49; 7. Allison Shober, Superior, 49; 9. Alisha Moran, Superior, 52; 12. Samantha Aune; Superior, 61.

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