The Warrenton and Wright City golf teams are focused on improving individual scores in order to achieve more team success.
The Warrenton Lady Warriors will be led by junior Merrick Owens. Owens, who qualified for the state tournament last year, is the lone junior in the program. Olivia Mischlispy is the only senior on the roster. The rest of the team is comprised of three sophomores and two freshmen.
“We are bringing a lot of good experience back. Especially with Merrick going to state,” Warrenton golf coach Kelly Anderson said. “But we also have a lot of underclassmen that I am hoping will be able to get some varsity matches in and have some success at that level.”
Owens is striving to return to the state meet this season. Anderson also believes sophomores Jenna Marschel and Haley Rausch could take big steps this season.
“I think they’re going to do a lot better this year,” Anderson said. “Last year, they were very young and inexperienced. And now, they’re bringing some experience back because they did compete as freshmen.”
Anderson hopes to see the Lady Warriors notch more points in conference matches this season. The Lady Warrior golf program has been consistently improving over the years.
“It’s exciting to see the girls progress and the program get better as we’ve been going,” she said.
Early in practice, the Lady Warriors’ goal was to cut down on extra strokes on the green. They did a lot of putting and work around the green the first few weeks of practice. They want to have two putts or less on the green.
“When they get to the green, I’m trying to get them to slow down and make sure we’re paying attention to what’s happening around us,” Anderson said. That’s where we want the game to be slow and you want to take your time and make sure that you’re doing everything right on that one. Because once you get there, it can save a lot of strokes.”
The Lady Warriors open the season at Liberty. The match will begin at 3 p.m. Monday.

Wright City preview
Wright City coach Shannon Wells is hoping to see the Wildcats achieve more team success this season.
The Lady Wildcats are in their fourth year as a girls golf program. Wright City will be led by senior Katie Schanuel. Schanuel is the best player on the team, Wells said. Wells expects Schanuel and fellow seniors Anna Sanford and Alex Sutter to lead the rest of the team this season.
“Those three are seniors and kind of looking for them to do a little more leading and helping me teach the other girls how to play the game because after they’re gone, it’s next man up,” Wells said.
Over the early portion of practice, the Lady Wildcats’ focus has been on getting the groove of their swing back and putting and chipping near the green. It can take time for the golfers to get their swing back, especially the golfers who do not play much over the summer. Wells stressed success on and near the green will be key to Wright City’s success this season as they look to achieve more team success in year four of the program.
“Putting and chipping are going to be really big because that’s where you’re going to win matches,” Wells said.
The Lady Wildcats have nine matches scheduled but Wells is looking to add more to their schedule. He believes the more golfers participate in matches, the more comfortable they get in pressure situations.
“You’re competing against yourself really. You’re not really playing against the other girls,” Wells said. “Don’t worry about their scores, just worry about you. I think the more you play in competition, the better you’re going to be.”
The Wildcats are slated to begin the season Aug. 30 at Fulton.