After the top two players in the lineup, Hopkinton High School boys golf coach Bill Phaneuf has had as many as 11 players who have shown the ability to step in and factor into a match. It’s a good problem to have, but the Hillers are looking to sharpen their lineup down the stretch ahead of the sectional tournament.

“If our guys play the way they can play, we can be competitive with anybody,” Phaneuf said after Hopkinton secured a spot in the sectionals as a team.

“They are excited about it,” the coach said of the playoff berth. “We did not go as a team last year, and that was disappointing, but we didn’t earn it. This year they did earn it.”

While much of the lineup has been interchangeable, the Hillers have been led by Parker Winn and Levi Schuster, both of whom consistently shoot right around par for a nine-hole round.

“Parker played a ton of golf this summer and played in tournaments all over the place,” Phaneuf said. “He came into the season firing on all cylinders, and he’s played in every match for us.”

Schuster also has been one of Hopkinton’s most consistent scorers.

“Levi was someone we were hoping was going to step up this year, and he has,” Phaneuf said. “He has matured as a player and as a person, and he’s been really solid.”

James Hayward has emerged as a strong third player in the lineup. A junior, he has been with the program since his freshman year and burst onto the scene this fall with a 1-under-par 35 in his first match of the year.

“It was really fun to watch,” Phaneuf said. “That was his best score ever and he couldn’t believe he shot that number. The look on his face and the smile, it was for me one of the most memorable moments to see how happy he was.”

Another junior, Andrew Cooper, has played in most matches and has impressed Phaneuf with his work ethic. The rest of the roster is filled with strong players who are able to contribute on any given day.

Most of the roster is averaging between 42 and 44,” Phaneuf said. “They are all about the same. It’s not a bad thing, but it makes it tougher to pick one over the other.”

Phaneuf will have to narrow the field ahead of the sectional tournament at Pleasant Valley in Sutton, which previously hosted professional tournaments. Phaneuf will have to put his top six out on the course in the hopes that they can play well enough to earn a spot in the states as a team.

“If four of those six can shoot a good, solid round, we can get through,” he said. “They are up for it, and we are psyched to get there.”