Elk Mound to swing clubs with Colfax this fall
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COOPERATIVE EFFORT — Elk Mound and Colfax have joined forces this season for girls’ golf. After Colfax had a program for several years, Elk Mound decided to offer the sport and form a cooperative team with Colfax. Front Row (L to R): Selena Clickner, Brynna Streifel, Ella Reese, Kelly Turner, and Josie Seehaver. Back row (L to R): Olivia Clickner, Hannah Lemler, Emma Nechanicky, Grace Shafer, and Olivia Schindler. —photo submitted
by Laura Giammattei
Messenger Sports Correspondent
The Colfax girls’ golf program will look a little different this year, as they welcome seven Elk Mound players in a cooperative effort to make a mark in the “CloverCroix” Conference. This cooperative is especially exciting for Elk Mound, as it is the first year golf has been offered to the female athletes as a standalone team.
According to head coach Ryan Krall, both Colfax and Elk Mound have been hoping to combine forces for some time now and this year seemed like the best time to make that plan a reality. Krall said Elk Mound and Colfax coaches and the respective athletic directors collaborated over the summer and helped spread the word about this new opportunity.
Those efforts certainly paid off, as the addition of seven Mounders, six juniors and a freshman, will round the roster up to ten players, more than doubling last season’s roster of four. Colfax senior Hannah Lemier is the only returning letter winner and the only player with any experience playing on an organized golf team. Her teammates and coach will be relying on her to provide leadership and advice.
Although these newcomers are entering a new golf experience, every athlete is familiar with the game and knows their way around a course.
“Early on … it was obvious the girls know what they’re doing and how to handle themselves, which is a great thing to have coming in,” Krall said. “All of these girls have great potential to make tremendous gains this season. I’m excited to try and help them along that journey.”
Last year, Colfax finished 5th in the CloverCroix Conference and managed to improve to 4th place at the end-of-season Conference Championship. Last year, seniors Abby DeMoe and Mogan Schleusner finished as 1st Team All-Conference players and were both Sectional qualifiers. DeMoe advanced to State all four of her years on the team.
Moving forward this season with a less experienced team, Krall is committed to instilling confidence in his players so they embrace the challenges ahead and continue to work towards the level of skill he knows they’re capable of mastering.
This new cooperative team will face four conference-only teams this season, many of which return a number of experienced seniors. Krall said Osseo-Fairchild/Fall Creek returns a solid crop of seniors after making it to the State meet last year and Eau Claire Regis/Altoona appear as strong as ever. Both Flambeau and Stanley-Boyd, though young last year, will also bring a lot of experience to the tee and he expects them to be much improved.
Regardless of who they are facing, Krall is much more focused on integrating these two schools into one cohesive team.
“I just hope the girls enjoy being part of a team and interacting with kids from another school, joining together for a common cause,” Krall said. “I think they are going to enjoy spending this season together and will hopefully live the successes that I know they are capable of. They are great kids and I couldn’t be happier with the bunch I have to start this most unique of seasons.”
The girls teed off in Flambeau on August 31 and Stanley-Boyd on September 3 to start off the season. Next week starts with a meet at Osseo-Fairchild/Fall Creek on Monday, September 14 and wraps up at Eau Claire Regis/Altoona Thursday, September 17. Colfax/Elk Mound host their first meet at Whitetail Golf Course on Monday, September 21 at 4 p.m. The CloverCroix Conference meet is slated for Thursday, September 24 at the Lake Hallie Golf Course with WIAA playoffs beginning the following week.
2020 Roster
Seniors: Hannah Lemier (Colfax)
Juniors: Olivia Clickner, Emma Nechanicky, Ella Reese, Grace Shafer, Olivia Schindler, Bryanna Streifel (all Elk Mound)
Freshmen: Selena Clickner (Elk Mound), Josie Seehaver (Colfax), Kelly Turner (Colfax)