Pequot Lakes Girls’ Golf Poised to Defend Class AA State Title

Pequot Lakes girls’ golf have successfully defended their Section 6AA title for the fourth consecutive season and are now heading back to the state tournament, poised to defend their state title as well.

The Patriots only lost one senior from last year’s roster, but it was the reigning individual section champion Morgan Krieger. This year, though, junior Genevieve Birkeland followed in her teammate’s footsteps and captured the individual title, followed closely by senior captain Annie Neva, who finished second just six strokes back.

When the season began, the Pats knew they had the talent to win back-to-back state titles, and they now have that opportunity, but they also know there is still a lot of work to be done to capture it.

“We’re hard workers and wanted to get back to state and we were able to do that,” said Birkeland. “So knowing that, we’re going to go out there, we’re going to stay strong mentally, because it’s not an easy road, it’s a bumpy road, but we’re used to it and we’re ready to take on the challenge.”

Birkeland added that their focus was going to be on their game, and not how the other teams will be performing.

“There’s going to be great competition there, and just making sure we play our game and not really worrying about everyone else so much and just worrying about ourselves, and doing what we can do to make our scores better and eventually make our team better.”

“Right after those first couple meets, I think that we started really seeing some great scores and it was kind of just like a peak to where, like, ‘Okay, we can really do this,'” explained Neva. “After we played some of our conference meets and really just played well there and beat all the teams, I think that that really just showed us that we can really do this again.”

Neva also reflected on the fact that her time as a Patriot golfer will be ending soon. “Definitely looking forward to all the memories I’m going to be making. It’s my last season, so it’s definitely going to be sentimental, but I think it’s just going to be a great time. So I’m really looking forward to that.”

Pequot Lakes’ title defense starts next Tuesday, June 11 as Class AA plays the Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan. The Patriots won last year’s championship by just three strokes over Lake City, who is back at the tourney this year as well.