The 2009 BEA girls golf team includes: front row (left to right), Autumn Drake, Kendall Surratt, Crystal Cervantes, Anna Aukes; middle row (left to right), Allie Curtis, Camille Driscoll, Morgan Schoenfelder, Elizabeth Hynes, Emily Davids; back row (left to right), Mackenzie Lein, Jessica Skaare, Olivia Skaare, Samantha Hogstad, Emily Slama, Coach Al Cue. Not pictured; Morgan Dickman, Aeli Olson.

There are no seniors on the Buccaneer girls golf team this year, but that does not mean they lack for experienced leaders.

“We have four juniors who are ready to step up and lead us,” Coach Al Cue says. “It’s their time.”

The four include Morgan Dickman and Jessica Skaare, who, along with last year’s two seniors (Steph Wolff and Ally Ewest) advanced to the section meet last season.

The other two juniors are Olivia Skaare and MacKenzie Lein. Both have extensive varsity experience. Some of the juniors were members of the team which went to the state two years ago, Cue adds.

“We have two spots to fill,” Cue says, “To replace the two seniors we lost from last year’s squad.”

The team has six players competing in each meet, with the lowest four scores being counted towards the team score.

“Its good to have depth on a team,” Cue explains. “The years that we have done well is because we have had five or six consistent golfers.”

Cue says if one of the leaders has a bad day, another golfer’s score can still cover for them and hold up the team.

Last year the squad was undefeated in conference duals, but had a rough day at the conference meet.

This year he expects Waseca to be the favorite in the conference, and the rest of the teams to be pretty even. But Cue says his squad should be able to give the Bluejays a run for their money.

“Fairmont will be pretty good, too,” the coach adds. “But we should be right in with most teams.”

Cue has 16 girls out for golf this year, and says that number is down a little from some years.

“We still have more girls out than many schools our size,” he adds.

The girls first meet is April 13 in New Ulm. The Eagles lost a great golfer to graduation last year, so Cue thinks they will be down a notch.

“They will probably be in the middle of the conference, like a lot of us,” he says.

The girls have been practicing in the wrestling room with a hitting cage, and in the hallway with a couple of putting machines.

“We are ready to get outside and hit some real golf balls,” Cue says. “It will make a big difference.”