Fall Sports Preview: Worth County Golf

JON DYKSTRA/THE FORUM
Worth County golf: front from left; Brynn Chapman, Haley Russell, Marissa Schmitz, Georgia Taylor; back; Unique Brown, Emsley Spainhower, Katie Fletchall, Arenna Galanakis, Bailey Steele and coach Craig McNeese. Not pictured: coach Janice Borey.

Worth County broke through last season and won the program’s first conference title in girls golf since 2006. They also advanced to state for the first time since 2006.

Now the Tigers are looking to turn that success into a tradition. It will be a new group trying to replicate the feat this season with Bridgette Hightshoe, Eva Engel and Abbi Brown graduating from the varsity lineup.

Coach Janice Borey is thankful for her two returners to the lineup to set the tone for the new season. Senior Marissa Schmitz and junior Georgia Taylor were the team’s No. 3 and No. 4 golfers last season and each made the trip to state.

“It has been fun helping the younger girls figure out their swings and everything,” Taylor said.

Schmitz finished 29th at districts last season and won the East Atchison Tournament during a successful junior season.

“I’m real excited,” Schmitz said. “I’m ready to see how everyone on the team has improved over the past year and see how good we can be this year. I am really excited to see how I do in matches.”

The senior is keeping it fairly simple for her final season — hit her drives and putts straight.

“My goal is to win a few more meets than I did last year and definitely make it to state,” Schmitz said.

Taylor finished the year playing some of her best golf with a 101 at districts to earn a medal and finish 13th.

The Northeast Nodaway student carried that momentum into the offseason where she stayed busy with the Northwest Missouri Junior Tournament Series over the summer. The tour plays courses across the region all summer with eight tournaments and Taylor was able to win the 14-15 age division.

“I’m excited,” Taylor said. “I think that it is going to be a good year and I hope that we can end up going to state like we did last year.

“I really have focused on my short game and the golfing mindset, but I just have been working on everything for this season, so I think that I will be better at everything.”

The competition for the spots in the lineup behind Taylor and Schmitz may continue into the season according to Borey, but she likes what she has seen from her group.

“It is a lot of fun because you got two solids with Georgia and Marissa, and we are working with the rest to see who is going to come in to take the next three spots, but there is a lot of potential in those people,” Borey said. “We’ve just got to get some things squared away and get the rust knocked off.”

Bailey Steele and Katie Fletchall both return as seniors this season while Arenna Galanakis and Emsley Spainhower have impressed as returning juniors.

“Arenna is really doing well hitting the ball,” Borey said. “She is getting into the swing of it again. … Emsley Spainhower is going to step up I think and be in there.”

Brynn Chapman and Unique Brown each got their first taste of high school golf last season and return with that year of experience under their belts. Borey was excited to add a freshman this season with Haley Russell.

“Brynn Chapman is looking really good and she is a sophomore,” Borey said. “… We have a freshman Haley Russell, who is just learning golf, but she is hitting the ball, so that is what we need.”

The Tigers open the season on Wednesday at Stanberry.