2023 Minneota Boys & Girls Golf Preview

The Minneota boys' golf team has three varsity members returning this year and will look to some newcomers to replace two state participants that graduated last year, Cole Myhre and Jackson Esping.
Walker Hennen is in his fifth year now as head golf coach for the Vikings. He is again assisted by Trent Esping.
There are 12 boys and three girls out for golf this season in grades 7-12.
Anthony Rybinski, a senior, Max Rost, a junior; and Lucas Rybinski, a sophomore; are all returning letterwinners.
"The golfers that are returning this year have quite a bit of experience over the last several seasons," said Hennen, "So, I am hoping that they will be competitive at the conference, section and state level."
Also on the boys' team are eighth-graders Nolan Van Keulen, Brayden Kollman, Hudson Thostenson, Michael Wisniewski and Cole Johnson, and seventh-graders Jase Sorensen, Joshua Arends and Gavin Whortenbury.
Girls out for golf this year include freshman Isabelle Gillund, and eighth-graders Ava Panka and Natalie Ratajczak.
Because of the late start to the season because of the cold and snow, the team has been practicing putting at Fit 24 in downtown Minneota.
"Cari (Pohlen, the owner) was nice enough to let us practice putting on the turf inside the facility," Hennen said. "We are just working on putting inside Fit 24, but the varsity golfers have been to Brau Brothers (in Marshall) a few times to hit on the golf simulators, as well."
The golfers were able to practice at Countryside Golf Club in Minneota in late March last season and the first meet of the season was held in early. The season opener will be much later than that this year.
Last season, the golf teams were able to make a trip to Omaha to play golf before the season with the help of the boosters helping out with the cost of green fees.
"We are hoping that it will work out to do that this year, too," Hennen said