The International Falls boys and girls golf teams enter the 2012 season with two of the five individual state qualifiers from last season returning.
Bill Mason enters his 17th season as the Broncos’ head coach with what he describes as “a little more inexperience” overall in the boys team, which placed second in the 2011 Section 7AA Tournament.
The Falls graduated all three of its boys state qualifiers from last season, Glenn Walls, Derek Riley and Jeff Shermoen. Walls tied for 11th at state, Riley finished 15th and Shermoen came in 32nd.
The Bronco boys return a golfer who just missed going to state last year after losing a playoff and had qualified in 2010.
Senior Brett Musich, who has also been recruited to play golf next season at Bemidji State University, was named All-State in Class AA the past two years and will be a captain in 2012.
Other returning boys players with varsity experience include Joel Skirten, Brady Walls, Lucas DeBenedet, Zach Manka and Wes Gunnerson.
Minus the three state qualifiers from the 2011 boys team, Mason said, “Other players have to step it up this year.”
Girls with varsity experience
The Bronco girls team, which also finished second at last year’s Section 7AA meet, returns both state qualifiers, seniors Kelly Blair and Malinda Porter. Blair tied for 34th, while Porter placed 57th.
Mason said the “top four looks good” on Falls’ girls team with two other returning varsity players, senior Alyssa Bergstrom and sophomore Katie West.
“Blair, Porter, Bergstrom (and) West all have 2-3 years’ experience,” he said.
While Katie West’s older sister, Maggie West, was the only key graduation loss of note from last year for the girls team, Mason said he is “looking for a few new girls to step up to (the) varsity level and play.”
He said he is concerned the most this season about girls being able to “play up to their potential.”
Boys/girls team goals
In addition to being competitive in meets, Mason said the goals of the boys and girls teams this year include having a “realistic chance to win our Section, as well as place individuals in the state tournament.”
He said he is looking forward this season to “seeing both (the) boys and girls teams compete and improve by posting personal bests, and competitive team scores.”
Besides the Falls, Mason said the teams to watch out for this season include last year’s boys and girls Section champions, Hermantown, and Virginia’s boy team.
The Bronco boys and girls teams open the season late next week with a meet in Brainerd.
