The Auburn girls golf team is the only team in Section III to be sending two athletes to the New York State Championships this weekend at Foxfire Golf Course in Baldwinsville.

Union Springs and Southern Cayuga also will be sending an athlete each from Section IV to the New York State Championships. The Wolves' Katie Smith is making her second appearance, while the Chiefs' Stephanie Morse took third at the sectional tournament..

“It's very nice for Katie,” Wolves coach Steve Barry said. “Section IV (girls golf) is still fairly new and not as competitive as Section III.”

The Wolves goal for Smith is to have her game get better from last years round and if she makes it her senior year to get better then, too.

“We're hoping she improves each year,” Barry said. “Hoping for a third time.”

Smith's consistency allows her to compete each year in her section and in more reasonable temperatures than last year.

“The record heat wave we went through last year affected her game,” Barry said. “This year's conditions will be a good help. I expect her to pick up several places this year.”

Just as she did in the sectional event, in which she tied-seventh, while taking ninth in 2008.

“She's a young kid,” Barry said. “She was in a tough situation for her first time last year. She's a pretty determined kid.”

Going for her second visit will be senior Megan Cahill and for her first visit is team newcomer and seventh-grader Larissa Carter.

Cahill and Carter placed fifth and seventh respectively at the Section III Championships in order to advance, with Cahill scoring a 77 and Carter carding a 78 at the Rogues' Roost Golf and Country Club in Bridgeport. With Cahill making her last attempt at a state title, the goal is to win but she is focused more on ending her season on a positive note.

“Our goal is for Cahill to do better than last year,” Maroons coach Lenore Grillo said. “This is her last time playing high school golf and we want her to come out on top and have fun doing it.”

Cahill's objective at sectionals was to improve, which she did, with her fifth placement as her best finish.

“She is a much more mature golfer this year,” Auburn assistant coach Donna Goddard said. “She was in the middle of the pack last year and I think we are hoping for a top ten finish for both of them.#”

Both Cahill and Carter compete in the offseason and as Goddard said, they are both used to playing people that are just as good as them. Cahill and Carter are playing the state tournament as individuals, but still teammates with a common goal, to help Section III do well against the other sections in the state.

“In our mind it is more of the Section III team than the individual right now,” Cahill said. “I am going to go out and play the best I can and if I have it, I have it.#”

Cahill's advice to Carter who has never been to states was to have fun. Carter is a first year varsity player who has been a team leader all season, playing well every match.

“Carter is consistent and has been a strong player the whole season,” Grillo said. “The 18 holes she played at the sectional tournament were one of the best rounds she has ever played. This is just her first year playing for the team and she has great potential, possibly at being a state champion eventually.#”

The Maroons have sent at least one golfer every year for the past four years to states and have never come back with title, something that either one of these golfers is capable of.

“The defending champion will be playing again in the tournament this year,#” Grillo said.

“The competition will be very stiff,#” Goddard added. “This is a highly competitive sport and these girls are from all over the state so it is difficult to know just what we are up against.”