Holton Girls Golf Preview 2019
Holton’s fall girls golf team for 2019 will be small in number but big in talent.
The team — with Connor Bechard taking over as head coach following the retirement of Dennis Tegethoff last year — consists of only three golfers: junior Olivia McAsey and sophomores Katina Bartel and Lilly Kimberlin, all of whom played junior varsity golf for the Lady Wildcats last year.
Coach Bechard said all three girls will start at the JV level and likely move up based on their play in the first few tournaments of the season.
“These girls have limited varsity experience,” he said. “But these girls are workers. It’s yet to be determined whether we’ll go full varsity with them.”
Last year, the Lady Wildcats saw four seniors — Sarah Holaday, Faith Holaday, Taylor Stevens and Abbigail Hundley — finishing their high school golf careers, taking first place at four tournaments and finishing seventh as a team at the Class 4A state girls golf tournament. Stevens and Sarah Holaday also medaled at last year’s state tournament.
Bechard said the loss of those four seniors is being felt, but he added that this year’s team definitely has potential to score well.
“Olivia’s got the most experience, and she appears to be emerging as a leader,” he said. “Plus, I had the chance to work with them last year, especially when Teg was taking the varsity team to tournaments.”
Given the team’s small size, Bechard has set one goal for all three golfers.
“I’ve told them that they can’t compare themselves to others,” he said. “They’ve got to focus on bettering themselves and their scores.”
