The Saline Reporter
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Swinging For the Top
Hornets look to improve on ninth-place state finish
By Jerry Hinnen, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: April 12, 2007
In 2006, the Saline girls' golf team returned to the state finals for the first time since 2003 and landed in the state's top 10.
Advertisement
In 2007, the Hornets will look to prove the program is back among the state's best for good.
Head coach Betsy French believes the talent is there to do just that.
"Last year, they improved a lot and the girls are all very excited about this season," she said Monday. "They've shown a good work ethic. Their swings all look good.
"It's going to come down to who steps up and wants to be a part of this squad."
With the area's golf courses just now becoming playable, much of that work has to this point focused on the short game. But French isn't worried, believing that to be key to the team's success this year.
"If we can get that under control," she said, "our scores are really going to drop."
The team returns three of the six golfers who competed for Saline at last year's state meet. Senior tri-captain Katharine Stewart and juniors Sarah Hoffman and Bethany French will each look to build on their state experience this season.
"Katharine Stewart was a strong player for us last year who's worked very hard on her game. Sarah Hoffman was our Rookie of the Year last season and has looked even better so far. Bethany French is a captain and has a very complete game," Betsy French said. "All three are very strong players."
But neither the Hornets' senior leadership nor their supply of talent ends there. Along with Stewart and French, the team's third tri-captain will be senior Chelsea Harding, who Betsy French said is "ready to step up."
Other juniors on the 12-deep roster include Allyse Hartman, Leen Khatib, Marla Moore and Tate Bonifer. The team will feature one sophomore, Gina Yu, and three freshmen, Emily Hysong, Michelle Rupp and Carly Schultz.
Betsy French has been pleased with the energy shown by her newcomers in the winter training season.
"Our freshmen look like they're going to bring a lot of life and energy into the team," she said.
After Stewart, Hoffman and Bethany French, the other two slots in the team's starting five are wide open, and Betsy French expects them to remain fluid throughout the season. The competition for those spots began Monday with tryouts and practice at the team's home course of Stonebridge.
"We'll see. A lot of different girls are going to contribute this season," she said. "The 4, 5 and 6 spots are up in the air."
Betsy French is adamant that that competition is not going to affect the team's unity, which she says will be pivotal if the Hornets are to repeat (or improve on) their 2006 success.
"It's so important," she said. "We don't even really have a JV and a varsity. We're a team, one golf team."
The Hornets officially begin their 2007 season Monday at the East Lansing Invitational in East Lansing.
Not all stories are guaranteed to appear
online. The Web edition contains a reasonable
sampling of the print edition stories.
For the most complete news coverage, we invite you to
subscribe
to the print edition of the paper.
Expanded
Web
Coverage
Staff Blog, "Inside The Newsroom"
TOP JOBS
