With Whitney Nash and Elayna Shine entering the season as the top two Carson High players, CHS golf coach Terry Gingell is expecting big things.
Shine and Nash are two players capable of breaking 90 on a regular basis. Throw in returnees Lindsay Burroughs and Katie Livermore, and you have four solid senior performers. Sadie Staub and Halee Ackerman, both seniors, also will be fighting for playing time. Megan Justice, Allie Vondrak, Kriston Good and Kahlia Wahpepah form the junior contingent. A crop of promising freshmen, including Heather Evans, Ashley Andreas, Megan Goodale add depth to the team. Calln Aten and Paige Hemsley hope to see action this year along with Megan Shirley and Lexi Taylor.
"I think so," Gingell said when asked if he thinks this team could make state. "That being said, I don't know anything about the other teams. I know that Manogue lost their top player (Alex Phillips), but they are always strong. They always have good players.
"Elayna is striking the ball more consistently. She has improved every aspect of her game. Whitney is hitting it well, too. She has made improvement over the summer with her short game. I expect them to be in the 80s somewhat consistently."
Burroughs and Livermore were right around the 100 mark last year, and obviously Gingell would love to see them get down to low 90s all the time.
"Katie played a lot of golf this summer," Gingell said. "She's very talented. She's a great putter. Allie Vondrak is working very hard on her game, and I'm expecting her to do well. Heather (Evans) has been playing golf a long time. She's been at my junior clinics since she was 6. She played in Northern Nevada junior tournaments this summer."
While Carson boasts some good experience, Dayton coach Brad Wick will be working with an inexperienced and small group.
"We'll have five, maybe six girls," Wick said. "In 3A, we play six and count only four, so if we only have five it will be fine."
Senior Lauren Coons, who has made state the past two years, goes into the season as the No. 1 player. Moki Flores will be starting her third season with the team.
Coons averaged in the high 90s last season, according to Wick.
"She is real consistent from tee to green and she's a pretty good putter," he said. "If she had a little more distance, it would be easier for her."
Flores, a third-year player, shot in the mid-100s last year.
Wick has the services of exchange student Maria Inchausti, a sophomore, who just arrived from Spain several days ago. Inchausti carries a 13 handicap.
"They don't have high school golf in Spain," Wick said. "She has played in a lot of junior tournaments."
The newcomer played two holes and Wick said she lipped out birdie putts on both holes.
"She drove it pretty well," Wick said about Inchausti's game at Dayton Valley. "She was about 80 yards out on No. 1 and 60 yards out on No. 2. She is a solid putter. It will be interesting to see how she does against the other 3A girls."
Other newcomers to the program are sophomore Isabelle Hamlin, who didn't play last year, and freshman Taylor Ingersoll.