GALION — Veteran players could be the key to success for the Galion High School girls golf team in 2021.
Head Coach Alan Conner is confident a solid group of returning players can provide the leadership the Lady Tigers need this season to reach their goal of a Mid Ohio Athletic Conference championship.
“Looking forward to our third full season for the Lady Tigers golfers,” said Conner. “We have six returning letter-winners and three new golfers this season. Our strength will be those returning girls, especially our upperclassmen. Our only senior Missy VonHoupe will take one of our leadership roles this season. We also return three juniors: Julia Conner, Ellexia Ratcliff and Izzie Willacker.”
Conner, a first-team MOAC selection last year and the Lady Tigers’ two-time golfer of the year, will be shooting for a top spot in the league again this season, Coach Conner said. She also has set her sights on qualifying to districts, he added.
Vonhoupe and Ratcliff both were MOAC honorable mention performers in 2020 and Conner expects to “ see great leadership and play out of both of them.”
“Willacker was one of our most consistent players the past two seasons and should continue that trend again this year. With these four in the lineup I expect big things for our squad this season,” Conner said.
Conner said he believes sophomores Addison Reed and Destany Palasia “have the skill to break into a varsity spot.”
“We’ve added three new players, all sophomores, Taylor Kieffer, Zoe Frary, and Makenzie Lehman,” Conner noted. “All three girls are playing golf for the first time and have worked very hard the past two months learning the basics. We see great potential in all of them.”
As stated, the team has its sights set on a conference title in 2021 after finishing fourth in the MOAC in 2020. Julia Conner placed 11th and Ratcliff finished 13th at the league tournament last season.
“Our team goal this season is to win the MOAC,” Conner said. “The MOAC will be extremely competitive this season as Clear Fork, Ontario, and Highland return plenty of talent. Marion Pleasant will also be in the mix as they field a full girls team this year. Don’t be surprised if the Lady Tigers make some noise in the league this season as our upperclassmen lead the way shooting for that MOAC title.”
Galion finished 11th in the sectional tournament in 2020.
