Girls high school golf teams began practice Friday, and they'll jump into the season with several matches Monday. Here is a look at how the teams on the Northside stack up, who the top players are and some of those early matches:

1. Cathedral -- The Irish lost two players from the team that reached the state meet last season but return Molly Ward (40.5 average), Abby Lauck (42.5) and Sarah Renie (43.5) and are ranked No. 17 in the preseason. Coach Joe Vollmer will look to Courtney Balog, Kristen Probst and Christine White to fill out the varsity lineup.

2. Bishop Chatard -- Beth Brogan takes over a young squad that came within a stroke of going to the 2008 state meet. Paige Crafton placed second in sectionals as a freshman, and three other varsity regulars return: senior Kaylee Parsons, junior Maggie Dodson and sophomore Christian Williams. Brogan expects sophomore Molly Marsh and freshmen Molly Brogan (the coach's daughter) and Sammie Summerlin to compete for varsity time.

3. Lawrence Central -- The balanced Bears return seniors Maddie Brock, Paige Drake, Sara Jackson, Allison Jacob and Jessica Wood. Sophomore Audrey Meyer earned some varsity time last season and put in work this summer to push the seniors.

4. Heritage Christian -- The Eagles missed reaching regionals by two strokes and return four motivated players because of it. Junior Brooke McKay will be the No. 1 player after reaching regionals as an individual and winning three junior tournaments this summer. Senior Annie Eggleston, who missed regionals by a stroke, provides leadership in addition to her skills. Katie Neeld and Jordan Sprehe also return, and newcomer seniors Bailey Doss and Jenn Wilson are potential contributors.

5. North Central -- Among the Panthers' four returning players is Srya Muralidharen, who advanced to regionals as an individual. Coach Rick Shadiow expects Muralidharen and Sophie Herman, both juniors, to compete for the No. 1 spot again. Peyton Conners and Asia Mathis also return from last year's top five.

6. Park Tudor -- The Panthers sent then-freshman Claire Gerwig to regionals as an individual, and classmate Brooke Hasler nearly joined her as the Panthers revived their program. With sophomores Courtney Fehsenfeld and Reilly Martin and junior Samantha Tamnunan also returning, coach Eli Salatich looks forward to the future.

7. Lawrence North -- The Wildcats return their entire cast, led by Julie Byers, who missed going to regionals as an individual by a stroke. Molly Evans, Cameron Geiger, Kathleen Rutherford and Karolina Vega return to the lineup, with Ashleigh DelBosque expected to compete for time. Coach Dave Vannatta's goal is to improve from 6-13 to 10 victories during the regular season.

8. Brebeuf Jesuit -- First-year coach Ryan Brammer inherits a program that didn't make it out of sectionals two years after winning the state title. Monica Coats, Sarah Nieman, Bailey Roberts and Kara Sheplock are the team's top players.

9. Pike -- Inexperience in 2008 hurt the Red Devils, who won just four matches and didn't get out of sectionals. Coach Mike Linville expects the team to benefit from that experience, led by junior Katie Bedsole, the No. 1 player who has been active on the course during the summer. Brittany Burks, Christian Cowling, Rachel Hess, Courtney Newton, Donisha Sanders and Brittany Thomas also return with varsity experience.

10. Broad Ripple -- Sophomore Laveda Chester is the Rockets' only golfer with experience, but coach Sandy Fenstermaker is excited about the future. Chester, who shot 112 in sectionals last year using only a pitching wedge and putter, played on the Mountain Dew Tour this summer.

Top five players

1. Molly Ward, Cathedral.

2. Paige Crafton, Bishop Chatard.

3. Brooke McKay, Heritage Christian.

4. Abby Lauck, Cathedral.

5. Sarah Renie, Cathedral.

Top early-season invitationals

Lafayette Jeff, 8 a.m. Tuesday, Lafayette Municipal -- No. 5 Richmond, No. 12 Lafayette Jeff and No. 13 Avon will provide a tough test on the season's second day for No. 17 Cathedral, Heritage Christian and North Central.

Center Grove, 8 a.m. Aug. 11, The Legends of Indiana in Franklin -- The event includes 14 ranked teams -- including 13 of the top 14 -- and will be a major test for Bishop Chatard, Cathedral and North Central.

Lawrence Central, 2 p.m. Aug. 12, Winding Ridge -- The event includes No. 4 Roncalli and No. 17 Cathedral and will also be a key test for Brebeuf, Bishop Chatard, Heritage Christian, Lawrence Central and Lawrence North.