Editor’s Note: Sports writer Roger Merriam is compiling a “20 Favorites” series highlighting some of his favorite athletes in a variety of high school/other sports since he started working at the Watertown Public Opinion in December 1984. The series is about northeastern South Dakota athletes, but some played at colleges all over the state, and others have moved to other areas.
After back-to-back stories on area high school girls and boys golfers, the focus of the “20 Favorites” series now will center on some of Watertown High School’s best golfers these past 40 years.
We’re starting today with the girls, who by the way just won the state Class AA championship in June. It was the first title for the program since the Arrows won back-to-back state A titles in 1978 and 1979.
South Dakota had one class of girls golf frrom 1973-76, and the sport was played in the fall. It moved to spring when the two-class system (Class B and A) started in 1977 and ran through 2001. The current three-class system (adding Class AA) was started in 2002 and all three classes play in the spring.
Up next in the series is Watertown High School boys golf.
Let’s get started with the Arrow girls.
20. Jenna Weismantel & Alex McGregor
If my research was accurate, only 23 Watertown High School girls have either medaled or notched top-25 finishes in state touranments from 1985 through 2024. Since a few of them are combined as sisters, we’re listing them all here.
Weismantel placed 23rd in 2012 and McGregor 24th in 2008 at the state Class AA tournament.
20 Favorites: Links to the stories highlighting the best northeastern South Dakota athletes since 1984
19. Hannah Whitlock
Whitlock earned her spot on this list by taking 19th in the 2013 state Class AA tournament.
18. Jill Albertsen
I believe that Albertsen, the daughter of longtime Watertown Middle School principal Dan Albertsen and his wife Sandy, played girls basketball and also was a state medalist in golf for the Arrows.
She placed 16th in the 1996 state A tournament.
17. Kristen Bartelt
Bartelt earned her state medal in 2002, placing 13th in the first state Class AA tournament.
16. Shannon Wiles
Wiles, the daughter of longtime Watertown attorney John Wiles, placed 11th in the 1993 state Class A tournament for the Arrows.
15. Paige Falk
As a senior in 2014, Falk closed out her high school golf career with a top-10 finish (ninth) in the state Class AA tournament.
14. Aspen Reynolds
Reynolds completed her high school career in fine fashion this spring as a member of Watertown’s state Class AA championship team.
She did her part, taking eighth in the state meet. Oh, let’s not forget, her season included her first hole-in-one.
More: Senior Aspen Reynolds celebrates first hole-in-one with a splash
13. Avery Palmquist
Here’s another senior from the 2024 state championship team. Early one, Palmquist played fastpitch softball.
She narrowly missed medaling as a junior at the state tourney and came back this spring to finish seventh in the state tourney.
12. Gabi Olson
OK, sometimes timing is everything. If I go back and update the “20 Favorites” series in a few years, there’s a good chance Olson would shoot up this list.
As a freshmen this spring, she tied for fifth in the state meet for the state-champion Arrows. Did we mention, she is the younger brother of Jake Olson, a recently WHS graduate who won two state Class AA boys’ titles and is headed to play NCAA Division 1 golf at South Dakota State University.
11. Chantel & Shuree Hohn
Sisters Chantel and Shuree Hohn each recorded top-25 finishes in state meets for the Arrows. They are the daughters of Rick Hohn, who served many years as the business manager for the Watertown School District.
If my memory is correct, Rick is a pretty good golfer and so were his daugters. Chantel took 11th in the state A tournament in 2001 and Shuree 25th in the state Class AA tournament in 2006.
10. Shelby & Natalie Pearson
Speaking of golf lineage. We’re talking about Shelby and Natalie Pearson, the daughter of Cattail Crossing Golf Course manager Levi Pearson and his wife, Heather. Levi played on a state B champion boys golf team in the 1990s.
Yes, his daughters can play, too. Both sisters medaled in the 2023 and 2024 state AA tourneys and helped the Arrows win the state championship in June.
Shelby closed her career by tying for fifth in this year’s state tourney. She tied for 18th as a junior. Natalie took 25th as a junior this year and also medaled by tying for 22nd in 2023.
More: Pearson’s hole-in-one highlights another strong showing for WHS girls in home invite
9. Megan Dockter
As I’ve mentioned in virtually every story of the series, just making the list should be the concern rather than the rating. I’ve really only focused trying to rate the top 3-4 on each list.
The reason I say that is because Dockter could be rated higher. Yes, she only medaled twice in state…
