For the eighth time in school history, the EP girls’ golf team will compete in the team competition. The Eagles start their competition at noon on June 14. Meanwhile, the boys’ team failed to qualify but will be sending two individuals to compete for a state title.
Girls
This is the second consecutive season the girls have qualified for the state meet. A season ago, EP finished 4th in the team competition. Emma Davies was the top-playing individual as she finished with a two-day score of 160. All four of the Eagles’ golfers on last season’s state team returned in 2022.
This year, the Eagles once again took control of the Section 2AAA meet. EP started the two-day event with a team score of 326, nine strokes ahead of Minnetonka.
A day later, the Eagles took control and then some as the team fired a combined 314 to win the section by 25 strokes. Junior Rose Baynes finished with the second lowest individual score at 152. Davies, a finalist for this year’s Ms. Golf award, finished fourth at 155.
“The 314 is a pretty amazing score for any team,” said EP coach Marty Teigen. “Especially on a difficult course like (the Ridges at Sand Creek), which requires precise shot-making with lots of areas of trouble.”
The action kicks off on June 14 at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids. The girls will play their first round on June 14, beginning at noon. The second and final day of action will be back at Bunker Hills one day later.
The Eagles have never won a state girls’ golf title but have finished second twice and third twice. Teigen said some of the toughest competition the team will face is defending state champion Alexandria and Edina, which finished one spot ahead of EP.
Boys
After winning the Lake Conference team title, the boys’ golf team came up short in its effort to qualify as a team for the Class 3A state tournament. However, the Eagles will be represented with a pair of individual qualifiers.
In the team competition, the Eagles finished second behind Chanhassen. EP fell to second after being seven strokes ahead after the first day of action.
On the individual front, Eagles senior Brady Baynes finished with Section 2AAA’s lowest score at 143. Besides competing now at state, he was also a finalist for the Mr. Golf award.
Baynes will be joined by junior Pranay Singh, who qualified as he tied for sixth at the section meet.
The boys’ tournament will also occur at Bunker Hills on the same dates. Singh’s group will tee off at 8:42 a.m. on the 10th hole, while Baynes will tee off at 9 a.m. on the same hole.
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