Husky girls golf players to dedicate summer to practice
Jul 01, 2021 02:43PM ● By Julie Slama
Hillcrest High girls golf team players Lola Nielsen, Paris Freebairn, Amelya Scherschligt, Kylie Powell, Mia Caraballo, Ava Perkins and Zoe Welch smile with their coach Dave Richardson at the region tournament. (Photo courtesy of Hillcrest High girls golf team)
By Julie Slama | [email protected]
This summer, Hillcrest High girls golf team isn’t sitting idle.
With enthusiasm coming from their spring season, the players are on the links practicing for next season, which will be in a new region.
“We have some athletic girls who have talent,” coach Dave Richardson said. “If we practice over the summer, we are going to improve and have some players.”
While this season’s “claim to fame” was beating Brighton late season in a duel, winning 12.5 points to 7.5, the Huskies finished eighth in 5A region 6, he said.
The 12-member team was led by the strong play of graduating senior captain Paris Freebairn, who “shot some of her best scores” this season, and Jenna Riddle, another graduating senior captain, added in solid playing, Richardson said.
The coach already is looking forward to competing in region 7 that will include Stansbury, Tooele, Cedar Valley, Payson, Uintah and Cottonwood high schools instead of its current region.
Next season, Zoe Welch, who played golf for the first time this past spring and will be a senior, “should really be playing strong” and with the dedication of next-year junior Ava Perkins, “we should be better,” Richardson said.
He also is looking forward to seeing improvement in upcoming sophomores Lola Nielsen, Kylie Powell and Sarah Pruden.
“Lola has gotten a lot better and she’s competitive; she wants to get better and plans to play this summer. Kylie is going to be a player too if she practices this summer. Both of them are on the drill team, and that takes a lot of time, so it’s just how much time they’ll be able to play. Sarah is athletic and wants to get better, but she plays other sports so again, it’s finding the time to get out and practice,” Richardson said in late May.
However, he remains upbeat and hopeful.
“I’ve already been out on the course with Ava and Zoe; they’re already playing,” Richardson said. “All the girls learned a lot, got better and got along. Now that it’s summer and not miserable and cold, they can get out and play and have even more fun.”
