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The St. Croix Central girls golf team advanced to the sectional meet for the sixth year in a row after placing fourth in the regional Sept. 28 at Pheasant Hills. 

The Panthers shot a 414 as Prescott, the defending state champion won the team title with a 330. Altoona took second at 368, while Somerset squeezed past Central to take third at 412. 

Right behind SCC was Ellsworth at 417 and Osceola at 419. 

Somerset’s Ava Pesha was the regional champion, shooting a 74. She defeated Prescott’s Ava Salay by a shot. Colfax/Elk Mound’s Belle Kongshaug took third at 77. 

Addison Kofal led SCC by shooting a 102. Claire Pommier carded a 103 as Lucy Mansell posted a 104 and Izzy Sabelko finished with a 105.

The top four individuals from teams five through nine also will be playing in the sectional meet. Besides Kongshaug, those three are Stanley-Boyd’s Emerson Felmlee and Osceola’s Natalee Bjornstad, who both shot a 98 and Ellsworth’s Lexi Marks, who carded a 99. 

Kofal, Sabelko clinch all-conference selections 

The Panthers took part in the conference tournament Sept. 26 at Clifton Hollow in Prescott and found some redemption after the previous round in Somerset. 

“I really wanted us to come out and play well today in preparation for the regional event on Wednesday,” Kimberly explained. “And boy did we ever. This was a huge bounce-back round from Bristol (Somerset) last week as we had three girls shoot sub-100 scores to give us our best 18-hole score of the year with a 392.” 

Mansell led the Panthers with a 94, including a low nine-hole score with a 46. The round included five pars. 

“She has come so far in such a short time as she’s really only been golfing for two years,” Kimberly said.

Sabelko was next with a 97. 

“She had nothing over a six on her scorecard on the back nine,” Kimberly added. “She’s been consistently having solid rounds, especially during the second half of our season.” 

Kofal was the third golfer to break 100 with a 99. 

“I saw a ton of great things today from her,” Kimberly continued. “Her swing looked really good, and she made some really tough shots. She has the potential to really put a low number on the board if she can consistently give herself good looks at par putts.” 

Emery Sanders and Breanna Popenhagen each shot a 102 to round out the Panther scoring. 

Prescott took home first place with a 327. Altoona shot a 374 to place second, while SCC’s 392 finished third. 

Salay cruised to medalist honors with a 70. Pesha was second with a 79, while Prescott’s Rhi Stutz placed third at 85. 

Prescott was the overall conference champion, while Altoona took second and Central took third. 

Salay was medalist in seven of the nine conference meets this year and was named player of the year as a result. Earning other first-team selections were Stutz, Pesha, Prescott’s Jeanne Rohl and Altoona’s Elli Anderson. 

Second team selections went to Altoona’s Lydia Jensen and Karalyn Skinner, Prescott’s Maddie Reiter and Gabbi Matzek and Ellsworth’s Kayley Bayer. 

Honorable mention selections were given to Prescott’s Maddie Rundquist, Altoona’s Lauren Anderson, Somerset’s Mandy Baillargeon and Kofal and Sabelko. 

Kofal was the only freshman named out of the 15 golfers. 

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