The Lakeville North girls' golf team has enjoyed a successful season. One can only imagine how good it could have been.

The Panthers welcomed back their top two golfers — freshman Megan Welch and junior Brianna Vetter — from their Class 3A fourth-place state tournament team of a year ago. They have been searching for four other golfers to round out their six-player squad throughout the course of the season.

"We started the season with eight other girls that were all pretty evenly matched, competing for the last four spots," Panthers coach Dennis Dawson said. "We've rotated them throughout the season, but nobody has really stepped up to separate themselves from the others. It's made for an interesting year."

The lack of consistency didn't keep Lakeville North from winning the South Suburban Conference regular season championship. It also successfully defended its Dakota County championship at Emerald Greens Golf Course in Hastings.

"We have essentially the same team we had last year," Vetter said. "We just never had our entire team together during the regular season."

Three other team members were part of that state tournament squad of a year ago. They are seniors Abby Cooper and Abby Shafer and sophomore Caitlyn Peterson.

"We've had people missing due to conflicts at school or something else," Vetter said. "It's made it hard for us."

Also figuring in the mix have been juniors Sydney Schulz and Megan Upham, and sophomore Shannon Whalen.

"I can't wait to see what we'll do with our regular lineup," Vetter said.

The Panthers and Winona are the favorites to win the Section 1 team title at the Cannon Golf Club.

"Our section is pretty evenly matched," Dawson said. "It will be tough to get back to the state tournament this year, but we haven't played our best golf yet."

Welch and Vetter have been the exceptions. They are the team captains, along with Shafer.

Vetter was also a captain with her older sister, Christina, last year.

"The change of captains is really different this year," Vetter said. "We don't live in the same house."

It hasn't affected the play of Welch or Vetter, according to Dawson.

"We've got two very good players in Brianna and Megan," Dawson said. "They both had several rounds in the 70s."

Welch tied for 19th, while Vetter tied for 22nd place in the state tournament last year. This year, Welch fired a season-best even-par 71 at Troy Burne Golf Club in Hudson, Wis., while Vetter recorded a 3-over-par 75 at the Chaska Town Course.

"Those were beautiful rounds to watch," Dawson said.

Ron Haggstrom • 612-673-4498