Wingers Open Defense of Their AA Title with a 156

RED WING -- Red Wing, which won the state Class AA championship last year, opened the 2012 season in impressive fashion Thursday.

In a non-conference match against Hill-Murray, the Wingers posted four 39's and threw out a 40 at Mississippi National as they defeated the Pioneers 156 to 187. 

Marisa Toivonen, who finished fourth in the state tournament as a junior, had one of the 39's, and so did another senior, Katie Kesti, who tied for fifth at the state tournament. The other two 39's came from freshman Reagan Haley and seventh-grader Stephanie Herzog.

Sophomore Nicole Schammel shot 40.

The first big test for several of Minnesota's best girls high school teams will come on Monday at the TPC Twin Cities in the Irondale Invitational. Red Wing will be there, along with Detroit Lakes, generally considered the No. 1 contender for the Wingers' AA crown, and Minnewaska, which won five consecutive state titles before having the streak snapped by Red Wing last year.

Also scheduled to be at TPC is Stillwater, considered the most formidable challenger to defending AAA team champ Wayzata. The Ponies' lineup includes MGA Junior Girls Player of the Year Cassie Deeg, who was the co-medalst (along with Cretin-Derham Hall's Celia Kuenster) at the state tournament.  

GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF

Red Wing 156, Hill-Murray 187

At Mississippi National

Par 35

Red Wing

Individual results

T1. Marisa Toivonen, RW      39

T1. Katie Kesti, RW                 39

T1. Stephanie Herzog, RW   39

T1. Reagan Haley, RW          39

5. Nicole Schammel, RW       40

6. Maddie Flack, RW              43