GIRLS GOLF PREVIEW
STORYLINES, PLAYERS TO WATCH
Three things to watch
Going for more: Arrowhead didn’t just win the state title the past two seasons in Division 1, it dominated, taking the 2017 crown by 27 strokes and the ’16 title by 51. Wisconsin recruit Emily Lauterbach returns, however the key to a run for a third straight title will be replacing three key seniors from last season. Green Bay Notre Dame (2006-'08) is the only team to win three straight titles since the twodivision format was introduced in 2003.
Repeat champion: Speaking of Lauterbach, the 2016 state medalist has a chance to join 11 golfers who have won state more than once. She showed her stuff at the U.S. Amateur this week with a two-round score of 150, five strokes short of making the cut.
Fresh faces: When it comes to the Milwaukee area, last season was loaded with talented seniors who had multiple strong showing at state. That isn’t the case this year. Of the 11 area players who made the first three teams of the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin all-state team, Lauterbach and Badger junior Holly Murphy are the only players back. Who will seize the moment and shine?
Players to watch
Katie Gerschke, sr. St. Thomas More: She earned the player of the year award for the Woodland Conference last season and then went on to finish eighth in the Division 2 state meet, the best for any returning area player. Her second-round 84 was the fourth-best score of the day, allowing her to climb five spots up the leader board.
Elise Hoven, soph., Cedarburg: Her freshman season featured 11 top-five finishes in 16 events and a 41.17stroke, nine-hole average that was third-best in the North Shore Conference.
Bonnie Jin, sr., Brookfield Central: She made a big jump last season after splitting time on varsity as a sophomore and earned first-team all-conference honors in the Greater Metro. Her nine-hole average was 40.5. She tied for 50th at the Division 1 state meet.
Rachel Kauflin, jr., Wauwatosa: The reigning Greater Metro Conference player of the year is coming off a big summer in which she won five tournaments on the Wisconsin Junior PGA Circuit and posted 14 top-five finishes in 16 events. She just missed state last season, losing a playoff in the sectional meet.
Madeline Koenig, sr., Kettle Moraine: A second-place finish at the regional and a fifth-place showing at the sectional opened the door for her first state tournament appearance. She tied for 30th in Division 1. Only five returning players did better.
Emily Lauterbach, sr., Arrowhead: The 2016 Division 1 state champion took third last season and tied for 13th as a freshman. The Wisconsin recruit played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur on Monday and Tuesday in Kingston Springs, Tenn., where she missed the cut by five strokes.
Kirsten Leonardi, sr., Sussex Hamilton: She tied for 25th at the Division 1 state meet in her first appearance, a performance that followed a 4-over 76 in the sectional meet at Rolling Meadows that was one stroke behind the medalists. She finished with a ninehole average of 42.2 with a low round of 36 in the Greater Metro.
Holly Murphy, jr., Badger: The reigning Southern Lakes player of the year is the area’s No. 2 returner in Division 1 behind Lauterbach thanks to her eighth-place finish last year.
Anouska Siva, sr., Brookfield East: The second-team all-Greater Metro pick last season fired the low round of the league season for nine holes (33) in a victory at Blackstone Creek. She finished with a 42.9 average.
Mallory Swartz, jr., Franklin: Her list of credits last season included a victory at the Appleton Invitational with a school-record 1-over 73, a secondplace showing at the Southeast Conference meet and a third- place finish at the sectional meet. In her first state appearance, she finished 22nd, thirdbest among returning players in the area.
Aubrie Torhorst, sr., Waterford: After posting top-six finishes in the regional and sectional, Torhorst tied for 25th in her first state appearance and finished the year with an 83.7 18-hole average.
Ashley Weber, sr., Catholic Memorial: The third-team all-Classic 8 pick finished with a nine-hole average of 46.1. She posted six birdies on the way to a tie for 12th last season in Division 2 in her first state appearance. The team returns to the Division 1 field this year.