ROSSFORD — Rossford 19th-year girls golf coach Jim Lorenzen sees his team return four letter winners in seniors Haley Hogan and Serenidy Wertz and juniors Sophia Shinaver and Jadyn Durfey.

The Bulldogs last won a Northern Buckeye Conference championship in 2020 and 2016 and advanced to the district tournament in 2008 and 2020.

Last year, the Bulldogs finished third in the NBC behind Otsego and Elmwood, and Lorenzen believes his team can do even better this year because there are multiple golfers who could come through on any given day.

The Bulldogs have already finished second in two Northern Buckeye Conference shootouts, both times placing behind Otsego.

“I anticipate a balanced team this season,” Lorenzen said. “While Haley will be our likely No. 1 throughout the season, the other players are poised to step up and challenge her on a nightly basis.

“I could see all six or our players being one of the four counting scores for the team. Our depth will be our strength. We will need to keep improving little by little each match.”

Hogan, who averaged 48.3 strokes per nine holes last year and Shinaver (53.8) were both second team All-Northern Buckeye Conference last year. Lorenzen says Hogan has been contacted by some small colleges and adds “she could see herself playing college golf next year.”

Durfey averaged 60.4 and Wertz 61.7 per nine a year ago, but Lorenzen sees those numbers going down already this year.

“Hogan will likely be our team leader due to her experience and skill,” Lorenzen said. “She has the power to drive the ball a long way down the fairway. She will be working hard to tighten up her short game which will help bring her scores down this season.

“Shinavar, Durfey and Wertz are very analytical when they play. They think through each shot to give themselves the best chance at a good score on each hole.”

New to the squad this year are sophomore Lesleigh Pawlowski and freshman Lucy Rodriguez.

“While neither have played competitive golf until this year, neither of them is unfamiliar with the sport,” Lorenzen said.

“Both are very athletic having played multiple sports. They have the potential to surprise some of their opponents and each may sneak into the 40s for nine holes a few times this season.”

Already in a match at Birch Run Golf Course in North Baltimore on August 15, the Bulldogs defeated NB, 192-243 as Rodriguez shot a 42, Hogan shot 46, Wertz scored 51 and Durfey scored 53. (NB scores were Sara Casey, 49; MacKenna Ducat, 57; Katie Brumbaugh, 68; Jersey Abrial, 69).

Lorenzen believes his girls still have a shot at the title if they play their best game on the right day. They are currently trailing league leader Otsego by two points after the first two shootouts.

“We expect to be battling for first place this season in the NBC. I believe we have a balanced, deep team. All six players will score for us,” Lorenzen said.

“The thing that will give us the opportunity to come in first is if we are able to continually improve just a little bit each match. If we can get four players near that 50 mark each match, we will be in contention for the title.”

Otsego has won seven NBC titles since 2011, Elmwood won three, Rossford two, and they are the only three schools to claim NBC championships in girls golf.

“As it is every year, Otsego will be the team to beat. They have a couple of returning players that should fight it out for Player of the Year.

“(Otsego) Coach Nathan Luce always gets the most out of every team he coaches. The other teams in the league have players that will be competing for first team all-league but maybe not quite have the depth as a team.

“Each coach in the league is top notch and will do a great job of getting their players ready to compete in our league shootouts.”

In the first NBC shootout at Hidden Hills Golf Club in Woodville on August 14, Rossford trailed Otsego 209-183 as Shinvaer shot 50, followed by Hogan (52), Rodriguez (54) and Wertz (54).

In the second shootout at Maumee Bay Golf Course in Oregon on Monday, Otsego defeated the Bulldogs 183-208 as Shinaver shot 48, followed by Hogan (50), Durfey (54) and Rodriguez (56). In both shootouts, Otsego’s Elizabeth Jackson was medalist, shooting a 41 in each shootout.

Lorenzen believes his girls must have the right mindset heading into every match to still make a run at the championship.

The Rossford coach says that means, “Ignoring what has happened before, and looking ahead to what we need to do next.

“We can’t look back on a bad shot, or a bad hole. The most important thing is what shot we have next and how do we keep that ugly number off of our card.”