FARMINGTON, Minn. -- Taking first place is something new for Farmington girls golf. But they are happy to get used to the feeling. They won a conference meet in April 2024, their first since joining the South Suburban Conference. The Tigers went on to be the first-round co-leader at sections but ended up second behind Northfield.
The squad was second overall in the SSC last season and is off to a strong start again this year states coach Andrew Paul, "Took second and third place in the two SSC matches so far in 2025, so right there at the top again."
They are trending up since a seventh-place finish in the conference in 2021. Fourth and fifth place came in the next two years.
Participation has climbed from seven players in 2013 to a high of 40 in 2022, "We are very excited to still see the growth and continued support for girls golf in Farmington. Our team is 34 girls strong.
"Our program improvements have been directly related to having more girls interested in the game of golf. We would also like to thank Southern Hills Golf Course for taking in both the boys and girls team this year from Farmington after the closure of Fountain Valley, our old home course and practice facility.
"Without them, our practices would have to look a lot different and a lot more 'painful' to plan. But keeping our team in the city to practice, was a very big thing to keep the momentum of the program going," Paul said.
The squad lost four-year varsity player Kailey Watson to graduation last season, "Tough to lose a consistent and main-stay player like that, that has been a part of the team for that long, but we are doing well."
FHS returns sophomore Jayla Mao who went to state in 2024. She fired a school-best score for the last ten years with her 75 at the Prior Lake Invite this April, good for a fourth place showing. She tied for seventh and second in the first conference meets this season.
Mao and Scarlett Hedrick were All-Conference as freshmen. Senior Annika Reuss and sophomore Alana Hansen were honorable mention SSC last season. Chloe Friesz returns to the varsity line-up after a strong seventh-grade campaign.
Fellow eighth-grader Maddie Klein "cracked the varsity line-up this year and in her first conference match shot a career-best 83 and placed third in the conference at Crystal Lake Golf Course," noted Paul.
The Tigers placed sixth out of 15 teams at Willingers in Northfield on May 7, "Where we see a lot of good competition and also place against a lot of section opponents."
He is looking forward to the Dakota County Classic on May 16, "A big event that brings together most of the girls golf teams in Dakota County at Emerald Greens Golf Course (in Hastings)."
Paul looks at Lakeville North, Rosemount, Prior Lake, and Eagan as the top teams in the conference. The SSC meet is May 20 at Emerald Greens. North is also a section contender alongside Northfield and Owatonna. That tournament is on May 27 and 29 at Cannon Golf Club in Cannon Falls.
"Our team goals are to continue the success we have seen and stay fighting for both the top spots in the South Suburban Conference and compete to improve on our runner-up finish in Section 1AAA."
