The Buccaneer girl’s golf team for 2019 begins play on April 8 when they host the Maple River Eagles at Riverside Town and Country Club. Front row, left to right, Karissa Lopez, Jordan Smith, Kylie Rosenau and Maci Frommie. Second row: Payton Smith, Cali Beyer, Lauren Schavey, Phoebe Loge, Liz Beeler, Lyndsey Borris and Ella Survis. Third row: Serina Wirth, Claire Jordan, Olivia Stewart, Maddie Armon, Mateja Lane and coach Al Cue. Not pictured: Natalie Huse and Allie Lopez.

With 18 girls out for the Blue Earth Area girls golf team in grades eight to 12 and another four in grade seven the program has some very good numbers this year.

Five of the girls are seniors, and Buccaneer head coach Al Cue sees this as a big benefit and not just because of their golfing skills.

“These seniors will definitely be our team leaders,” he says. “Not just with their scores but how they will lead the team as whole this year.”

Those five seniors are Serina Wirth, Claire Jordan, Olivia Stewart, Maddie Armon and Mateja Lane. Those five, along with sophomore Lyndsey Borris, are expected to be the starting varsity six players when the season begins on Monday, April 8.

“The starting varsity six can change around during the season, of course,” coach Cue says. “And if we have a chance to do some qualifying playoff rounds, that will make a difference as well.”

The juniors on the team are Payton Smith and Natalie Huse. Sophomores, besides Borris, include Cali Beyer, Lauren Schavey, Phoebe Loge and Jordan Smith.

Freshmen are Liz Beeler, Ella Survis, Karissa Lopez, Kylie Rosenau, Maci Frommie and Allie Lopez.

There are no eighth graders out but there are four seventh graders who will play on the middle school team. They are Payten Gudahl, Rylan Storbeck, Cailynn Smith and Delanie Bruellman. They will be coached by Colby Swanson.

The Buccaneers only lost one varsity player to graduation from last year’s team, but it was an important one their No. 2 golfer, Malarie Scholtes.

“We will have to see who will be the one to step up and replace her on the varsity squad,” Cue says. “We still have our No. 1 player, Mateja Lane, but as always, we need to have four solid scores in every meet we play.”

The Buc mentor says he already sees some improvement in the players from last year, especially the seniors, and that is a good sign. He thinks some of the girls, like Claire Jordan, are ready to play and have stepped up their game. Jordan has qualified to play golf at Northern Iowa Area Community College next year.

Coach Cue, like all the spring sports coaches, is happy to see the snow recede so quickly and things drying up.

“I thought with all that snow piled up a couple weeks ago it might be six weeks into the season before we could get outside,” Cue joked. “But it looks like it will be less than six days, instead.”

The Bucs start off their season with four home matches in seven days, all at Riverside Town and Country Golf Club. Monday, April 8 they host Maple River, Tuesday it is Truman, Friday they host Fairmont and on Monday, April 15 it will be the St. Peter Saints in town.

Coach Cue says he expects the Buccaneers to be very competitive this season, with some seasoned vets, including the five seniors and some talented newcomers coming on strong.

The problem, he says, is there are a lot of good girls golf teams out there this year.

“For example,” he explains, “all 11 girls who qualified at the Section Tournament to go on to the State were all underclassmen. They are all going to be back.”

Many of the teams in both the conference and the section are going to be tough, Cue points out. The Bucs’ goal is to go out and be competitive in every meet, and continue to improve during the season.

But, the coach has another goal as well.

“I think it is important for all the girls to really learn to play the game of golf well, and to enjoy it,” Cue notes. “After all, this is a game you can play for a long time, like 50, 60 years after they are out of high school.”