Girls? golf preparing for home stretch

Home field advantage can be a key factor in any sport, and the Washington girls? golf team is ready to use their home course at Washington Golf and Country Club to their full benefit next week.

The Demons had their first home meet of the year on Monday, and will be in action at home twice next week, a span that will see them play three of four meets at home.

Playing at home doesn?t necessarily mean a course the team has played often, as head coach Leonard Kull noted he doesn?t have his team playing practice rounds very much; but with the crowd it brings, there is added excitement.

?We go to other courses and I don?t see half the people we have following us here,? Washington sophomore Sarah Nacos said. ?People are following every group and it?s awesome to see everyone come out.?

The product the Demon fans are following is arguably one of the best in the state.

Still fresh off their Class 4A team state title last year, the Demons appear primed to get back to the state meet this year.

Based on the reported results on Quikstats, Washington is tops in Class 4A in 9-hole average score (176.33), and sixth across the entire state of Iowa, regardless of class. Three of the teams above Washington have only one reported nine-hole meet.

?We are much further ahead than I thought we would be,? Kull said. ?I always felt we would have some scores carry us over, but the rest will be the proof of the pudding when we get done. They are going to make the difference between doing really well and outstanding. They know that and that?s OK, but they just need to let that happen.?

All four returners from a year ago are each providing strong scores, with sophomore Megan Strabala stepping into a counting role, as she has routinely posted the third or fourth score for the team.

?I?ve really enjoyed it,? Strabala said. ?It?s fun to say that we won (a meet) and I know that my score was a part of that. I contributed to it.?

In addition to the returners, sophomore Allison Vogel and freshman Carly Burlingame have had time to develop and get used to the competition at the varsity high school level.

With the game of golf being an individual sport, each Demon golfer is quick to defer individual accomplishments, and is focused entirely on how the team is setting itself up for this season?s success.

?I think we?ve done pretty well as a team so far,? Washington senior Deanna Peiffer said. ?We have really good girls and we?ve been blessed with really good weather this year, so its been good. There?s always room for improvement, but I definitely think we?ll get there.?

Washington?s home stretch, which will include facing Fairfield and Mt. Pleasant again, will be a test to see how they will measure up come postseason play, but the Demons don?t seem to be letting their foot off the gas anytime soon.

?You always go in with confidence, and we?ve played well,? Nacos said. ?Ultimately we are playing for the team, and I think everyone has carried on from last year. We are able to shave off strokes and that?s good to see.?