The varsity girls’ golf team will open its season with a league match against Marymount, whom it defeated last year by a score of 245-264, on Sept. 4 at Rancho Park.
The team lost two talented players in Madeline Abrahams ’14 and Kate Kushi ’14, but returns four of its six scorers from the 2013 CIF-SS Northern Division finals (where the team finished in 10th place) including Emma Kateman ’17, Paula Lahera ’16, Chantelle Wang ’17, and incumbent captain Vivian Lin ’16.
Still, the 2014 squad’s leading scorer might very well be a newcomer.
Based on her performances in summer workouts, rising freshman Karina Guo ’18 is “currently #1 on the varsity team, and will definitely make a significant impact” as teammate Rachel Madhogarhia ’17 said, while second-year head coach Marge Chamberlain also anticipates Josie Baker ‘18 to contribute heavily.
“Talent alone won’t propel the Wolverines to a championship,” Madhogarhia said. “as offseason dedication to improvement is just as important to eventual success,”
The team’s summer workload has included weekly weight-lifting sessions as well as practices three times a week at some of the various courses the team will play at during the regular season.
“Everyone has been working really hard, and it will pay off when we start competing,” Baker said.
The girls’ golf program operates on a no-cut basis, and the 2014 season will be the first year that there will be a JV team to allow more players to participate in the program.
This was a necessary move for the “emphasis on skill development” that Coach Chamberlain stressed.
Despite the general growing numbers within the program, there are no players from the Class of 2015 on either team — and players believe this deficit might ultimately work in their favor.
“I definitely expect us to bond … it’s an advantage because nobody will be leaving the team,” returning varsity player Lauren Song ’16 said.
Madhogarhia had similar feelings about the roster, saying that “there is a stronger sense of community and our team is much closer this year.”
Furthermore, due to the fact that all of this season’s players will return in 2015, “the probability of building a dynasty will only increase,” Chamberlain said.
Still, for now, the focus is on the 2014 season, when the Wolverines’ already difficult Mission League slate becomes even more rigorous as it welcomes Marlborough.
“In the past, Notre Dame has given us the most competition. However, Marlborough has joined our league this year, so it will be a new experience playing against the school,” Song said.
In the 2013 regular season, the Wolverines took second place in the Mission League to Notre Dame.
With the mixture of returning varsity players, a strong freshman class, and an increased off-season work regiment, the team has even bigger plans for this season.
“We expect to win the Mission League and advance to CIF,” Coach Chamberlain said.
“Every single one of our players has improved dramatically… we have a very talented captain, Vivian Lin, who will definitely lead us to the CIF championship,” Madhogaria said.
