2012 Season Preview: Somerset girls golf aims for top three finish in Middle Border Conference

• Stacy Bracht

Sophomore Stacy Bracht has earned the number one position in the Somerset golf lineup by shooting consistently in the mid to upper 40s.
• Cally Meixner

Somerset freshman Cally Meixner (front) and her teammates warm up by hitting balls at the driving range at Bristol Ridge before a recent practice.

Talk about it

Rising to the upper reaches of the Middle Border Conference is the goal for the Somerset girls golf team this season.

While the Spartans don’t bring a tremendous amount of varsity experience back this season, Coach Bill Powers said the team has the capabilities to be a factor in the MBC race. He conceded that New Richmond and Osceola appear to be locks for the top two places in the conference standings.

“By the end of the year, hopefully we can be in the top three,” Powers said. “Moving into the third spot is our goal.”

The Spartans return three players with varsity experience. Sophomore Stacy Bracht has locked up the role of the number one player in the Spartan lineup. Bracht played extensively over the summer, sharpening all aspects of her game in the process.

“I’m looking for Stacy to be in the top 10 in the conference,” Powers said.

Junior Rachel Briggs and senior Samantha Swanson also have been through the varsity rigors before. Their styles are quite different. Swanson hits booming drives, but is trying to develop more consistency in the rest of her game. Briggs has an excellent touch for chipping and putting. She’s trying to bring her long game up to that level.

“Rachel has a lot of potential,” Powers said.

Seniors Cassandra Peterson and Mackenzie Venhor started the season in the fourth and fifth positions in the Spartan lineup. This was their first varsity experience.

Powers said there are a number of other girls who are competing for time in the varsity lineup. He said sophomore Kacie Larkowski and juniors Emma Lepper and Meghan Wolner are the closest among the next tier of players trying to get time in the varsity lineup.

There are a number of players who are close to making significant progress in their play, according to Powers.

“It’s getting to that next level that’s the tough thing,” Powers said. “Once they get there, they usually stay there.”

Tags: sports, somerset, spartans, golf, prep