Girls golf season is upon us. There are many storylines from the Herald-News coverage area to keep an eye on as we enter the new season. With that in mind, let’s take a look at five stories we’ll have our eyes on when players hit the links.

Bounce back for Kylee Kennell?

Making the state tournament is hard. Placing is even harder.

So Kylee Kennell shouldn’t feel too bad about missing the cut after the first day of the Class 1A state tournament. Still, the Coal City star will surely be hoping to make it back and put forth a placing performance this season.

The only 1A golfer other than Seneca’s Piper Stenzel to make it to state last season, she’ll want to go out on a high.

Replacing a champion

No Herald-News area 2A team made the top eight in the girls state tournament last year, but the area did have the Class 2A individual champion, Kaylee Dwyer.

The Lincoln-Way West state champion is now golfing for Division I Western Kentucky after becoming the first Warrior to win a state medal in golf. The question now will be how Lincoln-Way West responds.

Peyton White, who finished 73rd, is back and will be counted on to lead the way.

Sensational Seneca sophomore

Piper Stenzel may have only finished tied for 33rd at the Class 1A state tournament last season, but when you take into account that she was just a freshman, that debut season – and the state bid that went with it – stands out as pretty impressive.

Consider that 16 players ahead of her were seniors and she’s now a year older, and the Seneca sophomore is definitely a name to keep an eye on in 2024.

Reload at Lincoln-Way Central?

Top Lincoln-Way Central golfer Sarah Arsich, who finished tied for 45th at the state tournament in 2023, is now gone. And 66thplace finisher Sophia Thorne graduated, too. Now, 67th-place finisher Taylor Bush will be counted on to lead the program.

Just a sophomore, Bush should take an even bigger step this season, and junior Kristin Kroll will be there to help the program move forward as well.

Lockport and loaded?

Lockport was proud of its girls golfers last season, but now the Porters will be looking to follow up on a good season.

Gianna White finished 26th at state, but she’s gone. Maeve Heeney (70th at state in 2023) is also off, as are Sasha Jarosik, Claire Crosby and Ella Cline.

That leaves junior Rheagan Boucher as the only returner who qualified for state last year. She missed the second-day cut, but appears ready to lead a totally new-look Porters squad.