Mercury 2018 Girls Golf Preview
Boyertown
Head coach: Tom Koch, sixth season
Home course: Twin Ponds Golf Course
Last year’s record: 3-5 Pioneer Athletic Conference, 4-5 overall.
Players to watch: Seniors: Emma Hauser.
Outlook: The Bears’ lineup sheet in their season-opening match against Downingtown West featured just two players — Hauser and Sydney Brensinger. Gone from last year’s squad are Savanna Haas, a District One Championship qualifier, and Natalie Stabilito, who played in the PAC Individual Championship. As the youth works its way up to varsity, Koch has confidence in the Bears. “We have a young team but look forward to each player making improvements and achieving some personal bests throughout the course of the season.”
Downingtown East
Head coach: Matt Grinwis, sixth season.
Home course: Whitford Country Club
Last year’s record: 4-8 PAC, 4-8 overall.
Players to watch: Senior: Liddie McCook; Juniors: Anisha Sonti, Katelyn Samples; Freshman: Ava O’Sullivan.
Outlook: Despite the loss of five seniors from last year’s team, the Cougars will have a strong foundation to build upon with the return of McCook, who finished runner-up at last year’s PIAA State Tournament. “We lost five seniors from last year’s team, but are very happy to replenish our depth with five freshmen this year,” said Grinwis. Returning State runner-up Liddie McCook will lead the way with freshman Ava O’Sullivan not too far behind.”
Downingtown West
Head coach: Andrew Braun, first season.
Home course: Whitford Country Club
Last year’s record: 8-0 PAC, 9-0 overall (PAC Champions).
Players to watch: Rosie Byrne, Clara Huston, Maddie Perkins, Abby Bain.
Outlook: The Whippets are a perfect 2-for-2 since the program’s inception in 2016. West hasn’t lost a league match and the two-time defending PAC champions are already off to a nice start once again this fall. They’ll look to build off last year’s run, where five players qualified for districts.
Great Valley
Head coach: Owen Brown
Last year’s record: 6-2 PAC, 6-3 overall (Lost to Downingtown East in PAC playoff semifinal).
Players to watch: Seniors: Elaine Loose, Mae Sharaf; Junior: Amanda Heins.
Outlook: Heins returns as a two-time Individual District qualifier at the top of a Great Valley team that qualified for the District One Team Championships last year. “Elaine Loose and Mae Sharaf will help keep the Great Valley Girls Golf Team competitive in League and District play,” said Brown. “The girls have been recruiting some young talent to keep the Great Valley Girls golf team improving for future years.”
Hatboro-Horsham
Head coach: Ron Fisher, sixth season.
Last year’s record: 1-7 PAC, 2-8 overall.
Players to watch: Senior: Hailey Phillips, Katie Quigley; Juniors: Sheila Fisher, Annie Griffith, Sarah Sciubba.
Outlook: After a rebuilding season in 2017, the Lady Hatters looked plenty poised to make a run back to the PAC Final Four playoffs this season with a team full of eight returners. Two-time district qualifier Phillips should be a steady rock at the top of the card with Fisher, Griffith and Quigley as steady contributors. “Sciubba appears to be on the brink of a break out season which could spark the Lady Hatters,” said Ron Fisher.
Methacton
Head coach: Chris Lloyd, fifth season
Home course: Skippack Golf Course
Last year’s record: 5-3 PAC, 5-3 overall.
Players to watch: Senior: Ashley Liu; Sophomore: Riley Thomas.
Outlook: Now in its fifth year of existence, the Warriors’ girls golf program made great strides last season with its first ever berth in the PAC Final Four playoffs. Gone from that team are Emma Lawrie and Susan Schafer, though Lloyd says the team is still looking to improve. “Freshman Sarah Lawrie is a key addition to our lineup,” he noted. “Our team goal is to make the PAC Final Four and to send as many players to the PAC and District tournaments as possible.
Perkiomen Valley
Head coach: Karen Moliver, second season.
Home course: Gilbertsville Golf Course
Last year’s record: 0-8 PAC, 0-8 overall.
Players to watch: Senior: Dorian Philpott; Junior: Julie Neild; Sophomore: Tori Bruno.
Outlook: The Vikings will move on following the graduation of their lone district qualifier from 2017 in Katie Pupillo. “We are a young and much improving team,” said Moliver. “Perkiomen Valley should be competitive this year and for years to come.”
Phoenixville
Head coach: Sandy Waltz, fifth season.
Home course: Turtle Creek Golf Course
Last year’s record: 5-3 PAC, 5-4 overall (PAC Final Four playoff qualifier).
Players to watch: Senior: Morgan Morris; Junior: Morgan Frampton; Freshman: Chelsea Frampton.
Outlook: The Phantoms will move on following the graduation of two district qualifiers — Grace Simenson and Allison Bradley. Back for 2018, though, are Morgan Frampton and Morgan Morris, who each also qualified for districts while Chelsea Frampton will find herself right in the mix as a freshman. Phoenixville has made the PAC Final Four playoffs three straight years, and Waltz doesn’t plan for that to change. “I am confident in this girls team despite the loss of key senior players last year,” she said. “I think we will be a strong contender in the league with the addition of the underclassmen. I look forward to what the team can do this year.”
Spring-Ford
Head coach: Patty Lebow, 12th season.
Home course: Linfield National.
Last year’s record: 2-6 PAC, 2-6 overall.
Players to watch: Seniors: Cassidy Landis, Bryce Armor, Gabby McHugh; Juniors: Amelia DiCicco, Felicity Thatcher; Sophomore: Aleena Ghanta.
Outlook: The Rams return four members of last year’s team who qualified for the PAC Individual Championship last season. Spring-Ford, whose last winning season came back in 2012, could be a legitimate contender in 2018 with that returning experience. “We are building to be a team that can compete for a spot in the league’s Final Four,” said Lebow. “As always the league is really going to be competitive so we need to be ready to play every time we have a league match.”
