Spoofhound golf swings into 2016 season with big goals

By Jacki Wood

After winning districts last year, the Maryville girls golf team is poised to have another successful season and continue on into postseason play.

They’ll be doing it, though, without the Holtman sisters. Mollie, who won the sectional tournament and was a state qualifier in 2015, graduated. Younger sister Maddie had knee surgery this summer and will not be able to compete this season.

Still, Head Coach Brenda Ricks believes she has a team with plenty of talent who are ready to work hard and be successful.

“Mollie will be a big loss for the team with both her scores and her leadership abilities,” Ricks said, who is now in her 16th year coaching the Hounds. “I regret that Maddie Holtman isn’t going to be able to compete this season but she is still a part of the team.”

Ricks continued: “We have a great bunch of girls so I am certain that senior Anna Swink and the juniors will step up into that leadership role. It will be interesting to see how all of the girls progress through the season.”

Swink, along with sophomore Laurelle Wickersham and junior Shelby Wolters, were all-district golfers last year and Ricks believes the Spoofhounds can claim the district title once again.

“This is always one of our top goals,” she said. “Win districts and get through sectionals to move on to state as a team.”

In addition to Swink, Wickersham and Wolters, team members include juniors Rylie Mundorf, Claire Murrell and Jessica Sheil, sophomores Kaylin Byland, Trinity Cobb, Kylee Dougan and Morgan Goodridge and freshmen Emily Long and Hadley Mundorf.

“There is going to be a lot of competition for the varsity spots this year,” Ricks said, “and that is a great thing for the team.”

The Hounds will focus on the short game and putting, Ricks said, as well as the mental side of the game.

“Each year is exciting to me,” she said. “I think it might be because we finish junior golf and then go into the season. I remember working with so many of these girls as junior golfers and to see them grow into high school golfers is exciting.”

The Spoofhounds tee off on August 23 at Tarkio to begin the season.