The fields are set for the girls golf state championships Monday and Tuesday, with several teams and 336 individual players seeking to put together two consecutive days of great rounds in what might be dicey and soggy conditions across the state next week. Three of the state events will take place in the Denver metro, with a fourth in Montrose.

As perhaps could have been expected, all four defending champions return to the competition looking for repeat titles. Incredibly, though, a majority of the top 20 in each of last year’s championships are back, too, including every second-place finisher. Predicting a runaway winner? Odds are you’re not going to see it this year.

Colorado Preps dives into each classification below.

Class 5A at ThornCreek (Thornton)

Valor Christian is the short-odds favorite to capture the team title, buoyed by defending champ Ella Scott, freshmen Chloe Johnson and Emma Nguyen, and a strong reinforcement in senior Aja Blankenship. Legend’s Scout Fitzgerald and Maddie Makino will help the Titans put forth a hard charge, too. Cherry Creek’s Tatum Platt ascended to third last year at state, just behind Scott and Makino, while Addison Hines of Ralston Valley will be looking for her third straight top-five finish at the very least. Eleven players from last year’s top 20 qualified again, and five of those have consecutive top-20 finishes (Scott, Makino, Hines, Blankenship and Rock Canyon’s Ashley Chang).

Class 4A at The Bridges Golf and Country Club (Montrose)

The field in 4A is stacked with the return of eight players who finished ninth or better at last year’s state event. Landry Frost (Air Academy) enters as the defending champ and the top-ranked player according to iWanamaker, while Kaylee Meyering (Ponderosa) and her sister Olivia have the Mustangs in position to possibly win the team title. Riverdale Ridge’s Brynn Balliet and Karina Panyavong form a nice 1-2 punch for the Ravens — Balliet is seeking a third straight top-12 finish — while Niwot’s Wendy Cheruiyot and Monarch’s Pippa Cooper are worthy candidates for top-five finishes. The classification has 14 golfers back in the mix from last year’s top 20.

Class 3A at Foothills (Denver)

There are many great individual golfers in the 3A medalist mix this year, with eight of last year’s top 10 state finishers back — six of those who have placed at least top-13 the past two years. Timnath has been a force all season, and defending champ CheyAnne Schrick has support with freshmen Isla Carlucci and Peyton Landon having won a couple of tournaments themselves through the year. Acadia Curtis, Danikka Nielsen and Peyton Mraz give Holy Family a legit shot at the team honors, too. Littleton’s Zoe Bar-Or and Lutheran’s Tess Morris have been consistent, and we’d be remiss in not mentioning Battle Mountain’s Makena Thayer (fourth place each of the past two years, once in 4A and once in 3A), Steamboat Springs’ Katharina Cosby (finished sixth last year, 13th the year before) and Lutheran’s Chace Atkinson (eighth and 13th the past two state tournaments).

Class 2A at Lone Tree Country Club (Lone Tree)

As touched on last week, Sophia Lee (defending champ from Colorado Academy) and Addison Dorsey (Manitou Springs) could be paired up in an epic battle for the top spot next week, but there are plenty of returners from last year’s field — and two freshmen — who could upend the whole thing. Twelve of last year’s top 20 return, including St. Mary’s Academy phenom Quinn Roman, who has flown a bit under the radar all season. Sarah Farmer, of Denver Christian, can probably say the same thing despite placing eighth last year. While frosh Addison Moreno has given Resurrection Christian a boost in its title hopes (seniors Karina Garcia and Avery Stockslager lead the Cougars, too), Eads freshman Reese Barnett will get a chance to shine on a main stage after dominating the scene out east all season, winning several tournaments by a dozen or more strokes.

One last Mega Bonus

(No Laying Up)

Barnett closed out a 2-under 72 at the Eads Invitational at Eads Golf Course last Friday, settling in for four birdies and a 34 on the back nine.