After losing several seniors last season, the outlook remained optimistic for the girl’s golf team. Freshman Kallie Lux returned from a near state qualification in hopes of redemption. #1 Kallie Lux and #2 Sara Nerad returned to the team.

“The leadership of those two have been showing in nothing but astonishing for our team…Sara has been a real leader on the golf course by getting girls organized and getting them where they need to go. They’ve just been a really great team this year for leadership. I’m really grateful for those two,” commented Coach Schaar early in the season.

The team hoped to advance to the sectional meet after coming up short the previous year. The team has been working on mental management in order to increase focus and control emotions during important competitions. The team also focused on chipping and putting. Athletes like Sara Nerad show their commitment to the team’s success by spending extra time at the driving range.

One major change undertaken by the team was the move to a new location, from Blackhawk Golf Course to Glen Erin Golf Course. Coach Schaar commented that the great staff and facilities, including the challenging layout, provide the Cougars with a true home course where the home meets will take place.

“When we were at Riverside, both teams knew the terrain and now we are going to have an advantage over Parker when they’re coming to our house,” said Coach Schaar with confidence.

The team started out strong, playing a couple of invites and a conference meet before school started. Coach Schaar commented the team was getting their bearings before the heat of the season.

In the team’s first conference meet against meet, they came out 1 and 1, losing to emerging team Memorial.

Coach Schaar commented on the loss saying, “We lost to Memorial, but that’s an emerging team and their coach is doing a nice job with that program.”

In the opening meet of the season on August 9th, the Cougars placed 6th at the Verona Invitational at the Edelweiss Country Club. Middleton won the meet with 336 points, with the Cougars tallying 399 points, beating crosstown rival Janesville Parker by 4 points. Kallie Lux led the team with 85 points, followed by Sara Nerad with 93, Morgan Knilans with 108, and Lauren Damman with 113.

The Cougars tacked on a win on August 16th in a doubles tournament. Kallie Lux and Sara Nerad won with  1 under 35 on the first nine. Craig scored a total of 279 points with Lauren Damman/Madi Loveland receiving 99 and Morgan Knilans/Sarah Waller receiving 105.

On August 24th, Edgerton edged out the Cougars by one stroke to win the tournament. Kallie Lux shot 98 and was one of the only five people to break 100. Sara Nerad took home medalist honors with a 15 over 86, five shots better than second or third. Craig heartbreakingly placed second with 408. Dammen shot a 119, while Knilans golfed a 105.

On August 27, the Cougars competed in a charity tournament called Crusade Fore a Cure, tying for 11th place. The Cougars shot 405. The event supposedly raised more than 17,000 dollars for the UW Carbone Center in Madison, WI. The aim of the event was to donate to the UW Carbone Center to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer and melanoma.

Both Craig’s Kallie Lux and Parker’s Sophia Dooman shot a 92. Sara Nerad followed with a 46-48-94. Lauren Dammen golfed a 56-55-111, ahead of Morgan Knilans who golfed a 52-56-108.

On September 4th at the Cougar’s home course, Glen Erin, the team picked up a pair of wins against Sun Prairie and Janesville Parker. The Cougars shot 5 below Sun Prairie and 13 below Parker. Kallie Lux tied for second, followed by Sara Nerad with 92. Damman finished third for the team with 100, and Knilans finished fourth with 104.

At the Krueger-Haskell Golf Course on Wednesday, September 12, the Cougars went 1-2 at the Big 8 Conference Quad. Lux won with 85 points, followed by Nerad with 90. This meet marked a 5-4 conference record for the Cougars.

Craig placed third with 378. Other notable Craig performances include Damman with 98 and Knilans with 105.

At the Parker Golf Invite on September 15 at Riverside Golf Course, the team shot another 378. Lux lead Craig with 82. Following was Nerad with 90, and Knilans and Dammen with 103.

Marking the start of championship season was the September 24th Big 8 Conference Championships. The team placed seventh, led by Kallie Lux with a fifth-place all-conference finish in 86 points. Sara Nerad placed 14th in 95 points.

The team scored 400 points, composed up Lux’s 86, Nerad’s 95, Dammen’s 106, and Knilan’s 113.

The team achieved their goal of advancing to the sectional meet with a fourth-place regional finish. Craig’s Results are as follows: Kallie Lux 43-44—87, Sara Nerad 44-44—88, Lauren Dammen 51-46—97, Madi Loveland 54-51—105.

Sophomore Kallie Lux qualified for the state meet, placing fifth in the sectional tournament with a score of 87. Lux shot a 94 on the first day of the WIAA state meet, tying for 22nd place. On the second day, Lux shot an 85, finishing with a 169, good for 28th place.

The Craig Cougar’s Girls Golf team came into the year determined to qualify for sectionals as a team. Kallie Lux came into the year looking for redemption and a chance to qualify for the state tournament. Both Lux and the team worked together to achieve individual and collective goals.

The team looks to next year with only one senior leaving in hopes of improving on this year’s performances, aiming to declare the season a hole in one.