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New coach brings new focus to Craig golf

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Photo by Al Hoch

Craig's Sarah Sheldon chips onto the 15th green during play in the Parker Invitational at RiversideGolf.

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Photo by Al Hoch

Craig's Kyleigh Fenton watches her tee shot on the 13th during play at the Parker invitational.

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Photo by Al Hoch

Craig's Lindsey Beals hits at the third tee at Riverside Golf Course during WIAA Sectional play.

JANESVILLE — Dominic Wiegel is making one promise in his first season as Janesville Craig High School’s girls golf coach.

And that is a guarantee that the Cougars will be a more focused team—both on and off the course.

“I’ve already started trying to get this team to be more structured and organized in everything we do,” Wiegel said. “It’s starts with being a lot more focused when we practice. We’re not just going to go out and play golf. We’re going to work on all aspects of the game.”

The Cougars open the season today at the Edgewood Invitational at Yahara Hills in Madison.

Craig could be a darkhorse in the Big Eight Conference race. The Cougars return their top three golfers from a year ago. They also have promising freshman Ashley Hermanns.

Seniors Lindsey Beals, Kyleigh Fenton and Sarah Sheldon will open the season at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3, the same spots they held last year.

Fenton had the top scoring average on the team a year ago with a nine-hole average of 45, and is the longest hitter on the team.

Beals averaged 46 and is an excellent player around the green, while Wiegel calls Sheldon the team’s most consistent player. Sheldon averaged 47 for nine holes in 2008.

“Those three have all settled into their roles,” Wiegel said. “And from a coaching point of view, the leadership that they all provide is going to be critical to this team.

“All three have worked hard on their games and improved quite a bit over the summer.

“My job is to get them to work a little bit harder on course management. They all have the skills to play the game, but they have to eliminate the high-scoring holes.”

Wiegel expects Hermanns to give the Cougars four solid players, which is crucial to scoring in tournaments and in the postseason.

In sizing up the Big Eight, Wiegel expects Middleton and Janesville Parker to be the top two teams. He’s hoping the Cougars can crack the top three and make a run at a possible state berth.

“Since we spend a lot more time practicing than playing, that’s where we have to get better,” Wiegel said. “And that means working on every part of the game.

“Chipping, putting, hitting out of the sand, anything that is going to come up in a round of golf.”