RAPID CITY - With the wet winter weather, it may seem that the state Class AA girls golf season just started.

But the season is winding down with only a few events left, and one of the major events is Friday with the Greater Dakota Conference girls golf meet at Spearfish Canyon Country Club.

"Some of them did not realize conference was this week," Rapid City Central head coach Jeremy Noyes said about his golfers. "We feel like we just got outside."

Though Rapid City Central still must play in the West River Challenge and the city tournament, the conference meet has a great bearing on the state tournament. The meet signifies the homestretch of the season and helps decide the first-day pairings for the state golf meet.

"A lot of kids shoot a better score when they have better playing partners," Noyes said.

Rapid City Stevens is the western South Dakota favorite Friday, but Sioux Falls O'Gorman is the overall favorite.

"Anyone other than one of those two would be a surprise to most people," said Noyes, who brings a young team to the meet. "They have good depth. They can get a good score out of their fifth or sixth girl that other schools can't."

O'Gorman is led by Molly Donohoe, and the Knights have two strong golfers at No. 2 and No. 3 in sisters Whitney and Megan Wheeler. Behind them, the team has plenty of depth to compete for the final two positions.

Stevens, which has played only five of 24 scheduled events, will bring a young team. And head coach Phil Hunt is not set on his lineup yet.

Stevens' Katelyn Belzer, who is in her third year with the squad, will be a top West River golfer at the meet. Molly Webster, a junior, is also a returning player from last year's state tournament. Molly Rezich made some improvement from last year, Hunt said, and could figure in as one of Stevens' top golfers.

But there is a competition for the final two spots in the Raider lineup.

Erin Cheever is battling a wrist injury, and she may not be able to play at the meet - which will leave open a four-golfer competition for the final two spots on the team. Competing will be eighth-graders Sidney James and Amanda Nielson, junior Heather Young and sophomore Kate Knigge.

"They've been in competition all year long, and it's still kind of a toss up who is going to the tournament," Hunt said.

Sturgis will also bring some talented golfers in Brianna Dodge and Kelsey Emme. But they will also be playing in their third meet in five days this Friday.

As for Rapid City Central, the coach has some goals for his team, which has its best numbers in years with 10 golfers out.

"We're just looking for kids to go out and compete," Noyes said. "We want to get closer to low 100s. Hopefully, the girls will come out and compete and shoot some good scores for us."

Central's top players will likely be junior Taylor Warren and senior Cara McClure.