Building on the success of last year is no doubt a goal of this year’s Thompson Falls High golf team.

Led by now graduated senior Ellie Baxter, the Lady Hawks finished fourth in the team chase at last year’s State B-C championship meet.

Now they are hoping the next golfing Baxter, Aubrey, a top-15 finisher from last season as a freshman can help the girls back to the state championship meet.

Meanwhile, the boys team is full of experienced golfers, including seniors Cael Thilmony and Theo Nygaard, both of whom had solid seasons as juniors. Junior Jacob Molina is also returning for the boys, which feature a large group of newcomers as both the boys and girls team prepare for the first meet of the year, a three-team event in Plains this Friday at 1 p.m. at the Wild Horse Golf Course just north of the town.

And, another “newcomer” this year is volunteer coach Mike Baxter, father of the Baxter girls.

“We have coach Baxter back to help with great technical skills,” head golf coach Doree Thilmony said. “And we have some seasoned golfers coming back for the boys team as well as the girls team”.

A total of 20 boys and girls golfers turned out for pre-season practices this year, giving Thilmony a big group to work with this year.

“We have a large group this year,” she said of the group which features several new to the program golfers.

The team, which calls River’s Bend Golf Course west of Thompson Falls its home course, practices at the course and hosts an annual invitational that attracts high school golfers from throughout the area.

Other members of the boys team include: senior Braxton Dorscher, junior Jeremy Fausett, sophomore Blake Shusterman, freshman Chase Halvey and a group of eighth graders; Weston Block, Grayson Stevens, Evan Loftus and Billy Detlaf.

Other members of the girls team in addition to Baxter are: senior Elia Johnson, juniors Sophia Choe, Olivia Naccarini, Allyeska Vild and Ellyonna Vild. The Lady Hawks also have two sophomores, Solveig Nygaard and Jaden Bewick.

After this week’s opening match with Superior and Plains, T Falls travels to Hamilton Thursday, April 4 for the Hamilton Invitational.

This year’s Gary Thompson Invite, the annual event hosted by River’s Bend, is set for Saturday, April 20.