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Apr. 14—As the high school golf season begins, here are 10 local golfers — 5 boys, 5 girls — to watch in the 2025 season:
—Carly Bronson, Hayfield: Now a junior, Bronson is coming off a sophomore season in which she earned a top-10 finish at the Class 1A state meet. She shot 81-75—156 (the final round was shortened to 16 holes due to inclement weather) to tie for seventh at state. That came on the heels of a third-place finish in the Section 1-1A meet, where she fired rounds of 88-89—177. She is No. 38 in Minnesota Golf Association's initial individual rankings for this season.
—Olivia Cordes, PIZM: Cordes, a senior, is coming off a strong season in which she placed fourth in the Section 1, Class 2A meet (86-83 — 169) and tied for 27th at the Class 2A state meet (84-43 — 172). She has qualified for two consecutive Class 2A state meets and she had the seventh-best scoring average in southeastern Minnesota last spring (85.29). Seven of her eight 18-hole rounds last spring were in the 70s or 80s. The Minnesota Golf Association's first individual rankings of the season have Cordes at No. 75 in the state.
—Mattie Mears, Lake City: Now a senior, Mears will step into an even bigger leadership role for the perennial Section 1-2A and state-power Tigers, who lost Jordana Windhorst-Knudsen and Ella Matzke to graduation. Mears helped the Tigers win their fifth consecutive section title and finish as the runners-up at the Class 2A state meet for the second straight year. She averaged 87.1 last season, placed ninth in the section and 34th at state (86-44 — 130). Mears is No. 55 in the first individual state rankings of this season, from the Minnesota Golf Association.
—Myleigh Scheevel, Fillmore Central: The reigning Section 1, Class 1A medalist sparked the Falcons to their fifth consecutive section team championship and the second Class 1A state team championship in program history. Scheevel placed third in the Class 1A state meet, shooting 78-75—153 (the second round shortened to 16 holes due to weather). She had a season scoring average of 85.79. Scheevel is ranked No. 65 in the Minnesota Golf Association individual high school player rankings.
—Ailani Thiravong, Austin: The standout sophomore took a big jump in her already impressive game last spring. Thiravong improved her average by nearly four strokes per 18 holes, going from 85.2 as an eighth-grader to 81.27 as a freshman. She qualified for the Class 3A state meet for the first time, after placing fifth in the Section 1-3A meet. She placed 34th at state, shooting 80-83—163. She shot five rounds in the 70s last season, including a pair of 73s. Thiravong is ranked 42nd in the state in the first Minnesota Golf Association high school rankings this spring.
—Braxton Berlin, Lake City: The Tigers' senior is one of the most consistent players in southeastern Minnesota. He played 15 18-hole rounds last spring; he shot in the 70s in 11 of those rounds, and had two more rounds of 80. Berlin had the seventh-best scoring average in the area last year (77.35). He tied for 63rd at the Class 2A state meet (84-41 — 125) after a third-place finish in the section meet (73-78 — 151). He's ranked No. 55 in the Minnesota Golf Association's first high school rankings of the season
—Jack Brogle, Lanesboro: Now a sophomore, Brogle was at his best in the high-pressure meets last spring. He won medalist honors at the Southeast Conference meet (76), then shot 78-79—157 to win the Section 1, Class 1A title. He followed that by going 78-78—156 at the Class 1A state meet to tie for 14th. His 79.83 scoring average was the best in Section 1-1A.
—Collin Fogarty, PIZM: The senior has played some high-level golf during his Wildcats career, including a year ago when he was the Section 1, Class 2A medalist (75-74 — 149) and led PIZM to its third consecutive team section title. Fogarty tied for 26th at the Class 2A state meet, which was weather-shortened to 27 holes (79-39—118). He shot in the 70s 11 times last season.
—Carson Harstad, Chatfield: Harstad had an excellent freshman season last spring, averaging 79.63 and nearly earning a trip to the Class 1A state meet. He placed 10th in the Section 1-1A meet, shooting 82-85 — 167. He shot in the 70s three times last year, including a 77 in the opening round of the section meet, and a season-best round of 75.
—Ryan Nutter, La Crescent-Hokah: Nutter's 74.7 scoring average last spring was the second-best in southeastern Minnesota, behind only Colton Rich of Rochester Lourdes (74.39). Nutter, now a senior, was the medalist at the Three Rivers Conference meet (75) and tied for 16th at the Section 1-2A meet, shooting 76-84 — 160. He is ranked No. 24 in the Minnesota Golf Association's first high school rankings of this season.
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—Carly Bronson, Hayfield: Now a junior, Bronson is coming off a sophomore season in which she earned a top-10 finish at the Class 1A state meet. She shot 81-75—156 (the final round was shortened to 16 holes due to inclement weather) to tie for seventh at state. That came on the heels of a third-place finish in the Section 1-1A meet, where she fired rounds of 88-89—177. She is No. 38 in Minnesota Golf Association's initial individual rankings for this season.
—Olivia Cordes, PIZM: Cordes, a senior, is coming off a strong season in which she placed fourth in the Section 1, Class 2A meet (86-83 — 169) and tied for 27th at the Class 2A state meet (84-43 — 172). She has qualified for two consecutive Class 2A state meets and she had the seventh-best scoring average in southeastern Minnesota last spring (85.29). Seven of her eight 18-hole rounds last spring were in the 70s or 80s. The Minnesota Golf Association's first individual rankings of the season have Cordes at No. 75 in the state.
—Mattie Mears, Lake City: Now a senior, Mears will step into an even bigger leadership role for the perennial Section 1-2A and state-power Tigers, who lost Jordana Windhorst-Knudsen and Ella Matzke to graduation. Mears helped the Tigers win their fifth consecutive section title and finish as the runners-up at the Class 2A state meet for the second straight year. She averaged 87.1 last season, placed ninth in the section and 34th at state (86-44 — 130). Mears is No. 55 in the first individual state rankings of this season, from the Minnesota Golf Association.
—Myleigh Scheevel, Fillmore Central: The reigning Section 1, Class 1A medalist sparked the Falcons to their fifth consecutive section team championship and the second Class 1A state team championship in program history. Scheevel placed third in the Class 1A state meet, shooting 78-75—153 (the second round shortened to 16 holes due to weather). She had a season scoring average of 85.79. Scheevel is ranked No. 65 in the Minnesota Golf Association individual high school player rankings.
—Ailani Thiravong, Austin: The standout sophomore took a big jump in her already impressive game last spring. Thiravong improved her average by nearly four strokes per 18 holes, going from 85.2 as an eighth-grader to 81.27 as a freshman. She qualified for the Class 3A state meet for the first time, after placing fifth in the Section 1-3A meet. She placed 34th at state, shooting 80-83—163. She shot five rounds in the 70s last season, including a pair of 73s. Thiravong is ranked 42nd in the state in the first Minnesota Golf Association high school rankings this spring.
—Braxton Berlin, Lake City: The Tigers' senior is one of the most consistent players in southeastern Minnesota. He played 15 18-hole rounds last spring; he shot in the 70s in 11 of those rounds, and had two more rounds of 80. Berlin had the seventh-best scoring average in the area last year (77.35). He tied for 63rd at the Class 2A state meet (84-41 — 125) after a third-place finish in the section meet (73-78 — 151). He's ranked No. 55 in the Minnesota Golf Association's first high school rankings of the season
—Jack Brogle, Lanesboro: Now a sophomore, Brogle was at his best in the high-pressure meets last spring. He won medalist honors at the Southeast Conference meet (76), then shot 78-79—157 to win the Section 1, Class 1A title. He followed that by going 78-78—156 at the Class 1A state meet to tie for 14th. His 79.83 scoring average was the best in Section 1-1A.
—Collin Fogarty, PIZM: The senior has played some high-level golf during his Wildcats career, including a year ago when he was the Section 1, Class 2A medalist (75-74 — 149) and led PIZM to its third consecutive team section title. Fogarty tied for 26th at the Class 2A state meet, which was weather-shortened to 27 holes (79-39—118). He shot in the 70s 11 times last season.
—Carson Harstad, Chatfield: Harstad had an excellent freshman season last spring, averaging 79.63 and nearly earning a trip to the Class 1A state meet. He placed 10th in the Section 1-1A meet, shooting 82-85 — 167. He shot in the 70s three times last year, including a 77 in the opening round of the section meet, and a season-best round of 75.
—Ryan Nutter, La Crescent-Hokah: Nutter's 74.7 scoring average last spring was the second-best in southeastern Minnesota, behind only Colton Rich of Rochester Lourdes (74.39). Nutter, now a senior, was the medalist at the Three Rivers Conference meet (75) and tied for 16th at the Section 1-2A meet, shooting 76-84 — 160. He is ranked No. 24 in the Minnesota Golf Association's first high school rankings of this season.
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