• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

Vikings golfers have high hopes

Photo

Photo by Kyle Bursaw

17-year-old Katie Brossard drives one down the fairway of the eighth hole at Riverside Golf Course, during first day of the 2009 Janesville Optimist Junior City Tournament.

Photo

Photo by Al Hoch

Parker's Molly Rozeboom putts on the second green at Riverside Golf during WIAA Sectional play.

JANESVILLE — Can the Janesville Parker High girls golf team make it three straight Big Eight Conference tournament titles?

Will a senior-dominated lineup carry the Vikings to the school’s first WIAA state tournament berth?

And will a busy summer schedule for the majority of the returning players pay off early in the season?

The answers to those questions begin today as Parker embarks on the 2009 season by playing in the Elkhorn Scramble. The Vikings have won the event the last two years.

“Everybody is excited to get the season started,” said coach John Zimmerman, the dean of Big Eight coaches, who is entering his 16th year.

“I’ve got a great group of girls this year who put in the summer work to get ready for the season. That’s all I can ask for as a coach.”

Heading the list of returnees for the Vikings, who finished tied for third in the Big Eight dual competition and won the conference meet a year ago, are seniors Molly Rozeboom and Katie Brossard. Rozeboom had the lowest nine-hole scoring average last season with a 42, and Brossard was right behind at 43.

“Molly and Katie are four-year varsity players who have meant so much to this program,” Zimmerman said. “They’re a big reason why this program is in such a good place.

“They’re both constantly getting help on their game, working on weaknesses, and they both played in quite a few tournaments over the summer.”

Junior Amanda Becker is entering her third year on varsity and had a scoring average of 46 per nine holes in 2008.

Jennifer Polglaze, also a junior, is another returning varsity player.

Rounding out the varsity lineup will likely be senior Danielle Applebee and sophomore Taylor Utzig. Senior Maddie Marshall, who sat out last season with a shoulder injury, is back and will contend for a varsity spot.

“Our junior varsity team won everything last year, and our varsity team just missed going to state,” Zimmerman said. “And our goals don’t change from year to year. We want to win our conference, win the conference tournament and qualify for state.”