NRE golfers start this week

High school golfers take to the course this week and get their season underway.

The 2024 campaign opens with a boys meet Monday at Eveleth and a girls event Tuesday at Virginia, marking an earlier start than a year ago when snow was still a factor and hindrance.

Hopes are high for Northeast Range/Ely, particularly for the girls, who placed second in Section 7A and return two-time state-meet participant Abby Koivisto.

The team also has more boys participants than in 2023.

“As far as the boys, we’ll be able to put a team out there and complete,” said coach Rob Simonich. “And as far as the girls, we finished second to Pine River-Backus and they’re losing players so we should be favored for the section. We’re looking to win the section, hopefully.”

Koivisto took third in 7A a year ago and qualified for state, while the team also returns junior Maizy Sundblad, who just missed qualifying for state.

As a team, NRE was 12 strokes behind champion Pine River-Backus a year ago.

The girls varsity team also returns Cylvia DeBeltz, who took 12th in 7A a year ago, along with Danica Sundblad (13th), Carena DeBeltz (19th) and Ruby Milton (24th).

The boys’ top returning golfer is senior Tommy Homer, who was 31st in the section last year.

Ely seniors Robert Towley, Ty Walker and Kadein Zupancich are also part of the varsity group, along with junior Alex Merriman and sophomore Jesse Oelke. Two returning section finishers from Northeast Range - Wes Sandy and Lewis Powell - are also back.

Two new golfers are sophomore Sylvia Shock on the girls team and seventh-grader Tommy Kerntz among the boys.

This week’s events mark the start of a hectic slate that includes meets each week at courses across the region.