Lady Crusasders will have new look this golf season

Alex Nelson is the lone returning varsity starter for the Helias Lady Crusaders this season.
Alex Nelson is the lone returning varsity starter for the Helias Lady Crusaders this season.

The Helias Lady Crusaders had one of the best girls golf seasons in program history in 2015.

The Lady Crusaders repeated as team district tournament champions, bested the sectional field by 21 strokes, then brought home a team trophy by finishing fourth in the state.

But things have changed heading into this season, which starts today in the Helias Quad.

The Lady Crusaders lost seven of its top eight players from the state trophy team.

And that trophy was won in Class 1. Helias has been assigned to Class 2 this season.

So is this year a redo or a reload?

"Right now, it's a bit of a redo," Helias coach Dan Mathes said. "Hopefully by the time we get to the postseason, it's more of a reload."

The Lady Crusaders have 13 players on the roster and all of them have the potential see varsity time this season.

"Anybody could be in the top five," Mathes said. "But it seems every year, things work themselves out when it comes to making the varsity and I'm sure that will be the case this year. We're going to get in as many matches as we can to give the girls an opportunity to show that they can play at the varsity level."

Alex Nelson, a junior, is the only returning letter-winner.

Nelson is a two-time state qualifier as an individual, finishing 42nd as a freshman before tying for 34th last year.

"We'll be leaning heavily on her," Mathes said. "It's a big step up from being the No. 4 or No. 5 golfer to being at No. 1. The No. 1 has to give you a consistent score every time out and Alex is capable of that."

But after that

I can see the lineup changing with every match, every tournament," Mathes said. "We're just looking for consistency.

"When you see them hit it well one day, then come out the next day and it's not going so well, it can be frustrating for them. I've seen them all look pretty good on the range and on the course. It's just a matter of doing it on a daily basis."

With the move up to Class 2, the Lady Crusaders will have to be at the top of their games at the start of the postseason.

"The Class 1 state tournament is just as tough as Class 2, but the districts and sectionals are definitely tougher in Class 2," Mathes said. "Everybody is going to have five good girls when they start districts.

"I don't think we can have an off-day in the postseason and expect to be moving on."

Helias has had a girls golf team for 28 years.

"And for 26 of the 28 years, Helias has been in the big class," Mathes said. "I've stressed to the girls this is nothing new. It just means we have to step up right at the start of the postseason."

Three of the top four team finishers in Class 1 last year - Helias, MICDS and St. Dominic - have moved up to Class 2.

Helias will play in the same four tournaments this year - the Camdenton Laker Invitational, the Sedalia Smith-Cotton Classic, the Capital City Invitational and the Lady Crusader Invitational.

The Class 2 state tournament will be played at Columbia Country Club.