The Platte County girls golf team is coming off a second-place conference finish last year, but a smaller squad will alter the focus early on in the season.
“Our team this year will be in a learning process,” head coach Trevor Short said. “We have some returning talent that can help guide our new players on what is needed to accomplish their goals. Our focus will be on making those small improvements and getting our game put together and ready for the postseason events.”
In his 21st year, Short is hoping to build a team that can compete at a high level once the postseason arrives. He will lean on his returning players to carry that load, which includes senior Grace Handke.
Handke was one of two Pirate golfers who qualified for state last fall, alongside four-time state qualifier Ella Green, who earned her second state medal. Handke is joined by fellow returners Finnley Dougan and Grace Gaspers.
New to the team will be junior Lila Sedlacek, sophomore Ainsley Habel and freshman Naomi Loehner. They will be thrown right into the thick of the action with clashes against North Kansas City at Tiffany Springs Golf Course on Sept. 2 and St. Joseph Central at Moila Country Club on Sept. 4.
“The team is going to be a little smaller than usual, which will allow us to be more focused on the individual improvements,” Short said. “We will have our challenges ahead of us, but we look forward to the journey to face those challenges head-on. We look forward to a great season of building these players into the best versions of themselves that we can achieve.”