The Helias Lady Crusaders have cleared their first hurdle of the golf season.
“For the first couple of weeks, they were telling me they were nervous when I watched them play,” Helias coach Jay Higgins said as the Lady Crusaders prepared for today’s opening triangular with Mexico and Palmyra at the Oak Hills Golf Center. “I told them, ‘Get used to it, because I’m always going to watch you play.’
“Last week. I asked them if they were still nervous, they just laughed. We’re getting familiar with each other, it’s going to be a blast this season.”
Higgins, who is the boys head coach at Helias, has helped the girls team the last three years in the postseason before becoming the girls coach this season.
“I know most of the girls, it was a lot of fun to help out with that,” he said.
The Lady Crusaders are coming off a fourth-place finish in Class 2 last season. They will move up to Class 3 this year.
“We want to get a full team to state and that’s possible,” Higgins said. “I know there are a lot of good teams in Class 3, but we think we can play right along with them.”
Sophia Hinds, a junior, finished 15th at state last season.
“She’s a very good golfer, I’ve known her for years,” Higgins said.
Molly Case, a sophomore, finished in a tie for 44th at state as a freshman.
“You could see last season how talented Molly is and she’s going to continue to get better,” Higgins said.
Kate Boyer is Helias’ lone senior.
“She’s hitting the ball great,” Higgins said.
Adalyn Bayer is one of four juniors on Helias’ 12-player roster.
“She’s a very good ball-striker,” Higgins said. “She has the talent, it’s just a matter of putting things together.”
Flynn Hamilton, a sophomore, has experience playing in competition.
“She’s played in a lot of tournaments and she’s a golfer that’s fun to watch,” Higgins said.
Higgins said there will be competition all season for some spots on the varsity roster.
“We have a lot of depth,” he said. “We don’t want to cut anybody, especially as freshmen and sophomores who can only get better. Playing in tournaments will be new for some of them, but it will be some good experience.”
Helias will participate in his first tournament of the season Wednesday when he heads to Camdenton for the Lady Laker Invitational at Lake Valley Golf Club.
Other tournaments on the schedule this season include the Lady Crusader Invitational, the Jefferson City Classic, the Bolivar Invitational and the Sedalia Smith-Cotton Classic.
“We’ve got a good group of tournaments,” Higgins said. “Those will get our kids ready for the postseason.”
Helias is in Class 3 District 3 this season, consisting mostly of schools in southwest Missouri. The host course has not been determined.
The Class 3 state tournament is Oct. 17-18 at Columbia Country Club.