The Dickinson High girls golf team doesn't seem to be in any sort of team struggle at this point in the season.
The Midgets are almost 21 strokes behind second-place Bismarck Century in team average and haven't been able to climb into a top-two spot all season.
"At first, we really felt that we could ... battle for that second-place spot," Dickinson coach Olivia Wellenstein said.
Instead, Minot High and Century are in a dead heat for the West Region crown. The two teams have taken first and second at every region meet this season and of the nine rounds, the Patriots have nipped Minot three times.
"Century is real tough," Wellenstein said. "They've come around real well and all the girls in their top six will be back next year."
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Meanwhile, the Midgets haven't wavered from their position all season long. They've taken third at every meet this season, and their 362 average is 30 strokes better than fourth-place Williston.
"We're in a good spot," Wellenstein said.
Wellenstein will see if her girls can shoot their best score of the season when the WDA meet begins at 8 a.m. Monday at the Links of North Dakota near Ray.
Led by junior Jenna Wellenstein, the Midgets have four players in the top 20 in the West. Wellenstein has an 86.2 average, which is ninth best in the region.
Senior Lexi Erickson is also coming along nicely, having shot an 83 at Riverwood Golf Course in Bismarck last week. In the first meet of the season, she shot a 105.
"We've seen a tremendous drop from her," Wellenstein said. "You like to see that in a senior. All the work she's been doing has been paying off."
Erickson boasts a 92 average, which is one-hundredth of a point behind eighth-grader Rachel Jahner (91.9). Senior Steph Wallace is fourth with a 92.3. Dickinson's top four golfers are in the top 20 in WDA individual average.
"We feel our best score is still ahead of us," Wellenstein said. "Our best is a 340 and I still think we can do a little better than that. All of the girls are capable of shooting in the 80s and I'd like to see Jenna get into the 70s.
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"I think the girls are capable of it."
