Talented group of returning players back for Arrows and Golden Eagles

In case you're wondering, it's no secret that Aberdeen Central and Watertown's high school girls golf teams should again be among the best in Class AA this spring.

Both the Golden Eagles and the Arrows each return five of their six state-tournament players off teams that enjoyed very successful seasons in 2023.

Aberdeen Central finished second behind Mitchell in both the Eastern South Dakota Conference and in the state AA tournament. Watertown took third in the ESD and fourth in the state, the Arrows' highest finish since also placing fourth in 2009.

"We had a great state tournament and return some very good players," Watertown head coach Corey Neale said.

Neale is taking over for Tom Mattingly as Watertown's head coach after serving as an assisant the past four years. Kim Zimmerman returns to lead Aberdeen Central. He'll be assisted by Sarah Brust.

Both Watertown and Aberdeen are scheduled to open their 2023 seasons on Thurdsday in the 11-team Harrisburg Invitational, weather permitting, as the Spring Creek County Club.

Here's what you need to know about Watertown

The Arrows did lose senior standout Riley Zebroski, a three-time All-ESD performer and a three-time state Class AA medalist. Zebroski is now playing women's golf at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn.

Fellow state-tourney golfers Shelby and Natalie Pearson, Avery Palmquist, Gabi Olson and Aspen Reynolds. The Pearson sisters each medaled in state last year with senior Shelby tying for 18th and junior Natalie tying for 22nd. Avery Palmuist, another senior, and Gabi Olson, a freshman, just missed medaling by tying for 28th and Reynolds, another senior, tied for 39th.

2023 State AA Golf: Watertown's Natalie Pearson hits hole-in-one on No. 17 at Pierre's Hillsview Golf Course

Olson is the younger sister of two-time state AA boys' golf champion Jake Olson, who helped Watertown's boys capture their first state title since 1971 last fall.

"The girls definitely have a chance to be right up there in the ESD and state," Neale said. "There's a lot of talent there. It's just a matter of putting it together."

Senior Rylie Redlin and freshman Carighan Klatt also should see varsity action this spring.

Here's what you need to know about Aberdeen Central

Based on grade levels, it doesn't appear that the Golden Eagles are as experienced as the Arrows but they are.

The returning cast includes senior Morgan Jones; sophomores Olivia Braun, Emma Dohrer anjmd Chloe Vikander; and freshman Kyley Wirebaugh. Braun finished third, Dohrer ninth, Jones 12th, Wirebaugh 31st and Vikander 39th in last year's state tournament. Braun and Dohrer also were top-10 finishers as eighth-graders in the 2022 state AA tourney and earned repeat All-ESD honors lost spring along with Wirebaugh.

2023 ESD Golf: Mitchell, Aberdeen Central and Watertown top field

The Golden Eagles shot the lowest team score (303) on the second day of the state tourney last June and finished three shots behind champion Mitchell (616-619). Rapid City Stevens was third at 634 and Watertown fourth at 642. In the ESD, it was Mitchell (316), Aberdeen Central (321) and Watertown (333).

Sophomore Kylie Herman is listed as the sixth player on Aberdeen Central's roster this spring.

The weather, schedule and other details about 2024

Although it appears that South Dakota's spring athletes are ahead of schedule this year due to a mild winter, the early April snowfall didn't help northeastern South Dakota golfers get a chance to head outdoors.

Neale said the Arrows hit on the range last Friday and were hopeful of getting out on the course Tuesday and/or Wednesday before Thursday's scheduled opener.

"We may not start out hot, but eventually our confidence will get there and will be right at the top," Neale said.

The Watertown and Aberdeen Central spring schedules are essentially the same with only one separate event for each team.

The Arrows and Golden Eagles are scheduled to play Thursday at Harrisburg, April 16 at Huron, April 23 at Pierre, April 25 in the Aberdeen Invite, May 3 at Yankton, May 14 in the Watertown Invite at Cattail Crossing Golf Course, May 31 in the ESD tourney at Yankton's Fox Run Golf Course, May 28 in the Brandon Valley Invite and on Monday and Tuesday, June 3-4 in the state Class AA tournament at the Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Yankton.

Watertown also is scheduled play in the Sioux Falls Washington Invite on May 13 and Aberdeen on May 2 at Huron.

Defending ESD and AA champion Mitchell also will again be formidable with junior Allison Meyerink (ESD champion and state runner-up), senior Quinn Dannenbring and freshman Maddie Childs all returning state medalists. Dannenbring was fourth and Childs 13th at state last spring.

Watertown hasn't won a state girls golf title since going back-to-back in 1978 and 1979. Aberdeen Central has never won a state championship but finished second three years in a row (2017-2019) along with last spring.

Follow Watertown Public Opinion sports reporter Roger Merriam on X (formerly known as Twitter) @PO_Sports or email: rmerriam@thepublicopinion.com

This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Preview for Watertown and Aberdeen Central's high school girls golf' teams