Submitted photos – Action from the opening round of league play at Beau Pre on Thursday.

The defending H-DNL girls golf champions got the new season off to a good start on a competitive opening day for the league on Thursday.

But they had to battle, with just six strokes separating the top three teams.

Competing at Beau Pre Golf Course in McKinleyville, the Arcata girls took the opening round with a score of 509, followed by St. Bernard’s in second with a score of 513 and McKinleyville in third with a team score of 516.

Arcata was led by Madyson Nelson, who paced the field with a round of 98 for an impressive eight-stroke victory.

St. Bernard’s multi-sport standout Hannah Finck had the second best round of the day with a 106, followed by McKinleyville’s Neyr-Res Bartoo, who was three strokes further back.

Four different schools were represented in the top four, with Eureka’s Mia Lopez shooting a 114 for the fourth-best round of the day.

Arcata’s Lily Cunningham rounded out the top five with a round of 124.

Eureka’s Kate Fazio (127), McKinleyville’s Addie Morrison (127), Del Norte’s Madi Calleja (130) and Sophia Jager (130) and St. Bernard’s Estella Monahan (132) placed sixth through 10th, while St. Bernard’s Madelyn Shanahan, who was the 2023 Humboldt Sports Little 4 Girls Athlete of the Year, tied McKinleyville’s Julie Omaha for 11th on the day with a round of 134.

A busy Shanahan is competing in three different sports this fall, including volleyball and soccer.

The second round of league action will take place at Baywood Golf and Country Club.