The 2025 Hopkinton High School girls golf team features a blend of six returning players and six freshmen, and coach Bill Phaneuf is hopeful that the blend will jell well enough to get the team to the postseason.

“We want to make sure everyone is having fun and enjoying the game, but also understands that it’s a competitive high school sport and a sport that has championships at the end of the year,” Phaneuf said. “Our goal is to win half our matches and get to the sectionals.”

Emily Watson is the Hillers’ lone senior and is being counted on to be one of the leaders. Hopkinton also has several skilled players who should consistently factor into the team’s scoring each match, including sophomore Reese Robledo.

“She is really coming on strong this year and hitting the ball really well,” Phaneuf said of Robledo, who likely will fill the third spot. “She just needs to get her scoring game to the level of how she is striking the ball, and she is going to be a good player.”

Another top returning player for the Hillers is junior captain Leah Hong.

“From a leadership and captain perspective, she is unbelievable,” her coach said. “She is very friendly, and she gets all of the girls involved. She is a very consistent player as well, she puts a lot of time into her game. She tries hard, and she practices a lot. I expect her to be very consistent and solid.”

Another junior, Ella Fowler, is one of Hopkinton’s most athletic players (also an accomplished field hockey player). Phaneuf has multiple exciting freshmen on his roster as well, including Gigi Linton, whose skill he extolled.

“We are really excited about her, she has a really good swing, very powerful, very athletic, and she has played some tournament golf already,” Phaneuf said. “She will start in the No. 2 slot and may move up to No. 1 when she gets a few matches under her belt. The way she hits the ball is pretty elite. When she is on, it’s up there with the best girls I have seen in the state.”

Freshman Bridget Wilk also should be among Hopkinton’s top five this spring.

“She is a very strong player, I think she is going to do very well this year,” Phaneuf said. “She is going to be a factor for us, for sure.”

While the overall roster is a bit smaller than in past years, Phaneuf said most of the girls who came out for this year’s team are competitive golfers, which should give the team an edge.

“There are always some good players in the area, but I think our girls will do well,” he said ahead of the season. “We have 15 matches, so it’s going to be a pretty busy eight weeks.”