Senior Leah Hong returns as the team’s No. 3 player. FILE PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

Hopkinton High School golf coach Bill Phaneuf said his team exceeded even his expectations last year. The Hillers came within a single shot of becoming the first team — boys or girls — to make it to the state tournament as a team since he took over the program.

“I tend to be a bit negative, I always expect that we are not going to play our best because we know golf is ridiculous and it’s hard, but I didn’t think we were that good last year,” Phaneuf said. “This year, we are at that level.”

Hopkinton’s top four golfers are as good as anyone in the area, Phaneuf said. Even an average performance by the quartet could be enough to bring the program to a level it has not hit before.

“If they play to their ability, I think they can make the sectionals, the state qualifier and the state tournament,” the coach said.

Gigi Linton is back as the top player in the rotation, despite being just a sophomore. She qualified for the state tournament as an individual last spring. Sophomore Reese Robledo slots in as the No. 2 player at the start of the year.

“Reese is really coming along, and she has an absolutely gorgeous swing,” Phaneuf said. “She is looking to play in college in a couple of years.”

Both Linton and Robledo likely are going to post scores in the low-to-mid-40s for most nine-hole rounds, Phaneuf said. Not far behind is Leah Hong, a senior who has been with the program since its inception. Hong will play in the No. 3 spot. Fourth in the lineup is Bridget Wilk, who brings power to the course.

“When she hits the ball, it’s just crushed,” Phaneuf said, noting that Wilk is working to bring her short game up to par.

The rest of the lineup will be sorted out in the opening weeks of the season and may change throughout the year. Maddie Fitzpatrick, Ruchi Dave, Lucy Stevenson and Brooke Furlong are among the players expected to compete to be in Hopkinton’s top six. Hopkinton is buoyed by its depth: 19 girls tried out for the team.

“It was another great turnout and a good sign overall that golf is good and our program is something that kids want to do,” Phaneuf said.

Most of the preseason was confined to the driving range due to subpar weather and courses that need time to recover from the winter. Phaneuf acknowledged that hitting balls on the range is different from playing on a course, but he said it helped his team build confidence early on.

“I am excited for this season,” he said. “It’s a great bunch of kids, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do.”