VALLEY — The Rams are prepared to return to the greens later this month.

After qualifying for the sub-state round last season, the Valley High School golf team will look to continue trending in the right direction in the program’s fifth year.

“Each year, we’ve made a step forward,” Valley High head golf coach Mike Power said. “Our goal this year is to have the team qualify for the sub-state tournament again. Maybe then, we can have an individual or the entire team qualify for the state championship tournament.”

The Rams return this season after losing four seniors last year on a team that was led by Trevor Harry, who became the first Valley golfer to ever qualify for sub-state as an individual during his junior season. Harry is now on the men’s golf team at Faulkner University.

The departure of last year’s class now places senior Nicolas Fulcher in a new leadership role for the team. Fulcher is the projected top golfer for Valley this season.

“I want to hit better scores, practice more and get better this season,” Fulcher said. “I look forward to continuing to grow in the sport.”

The lone returning senior on the roster this year, this year marks Fulcher’s fifth year playing golf. He said he enjoys the sport because of its calm nature and because of the fact that his family has played it throughout his life. If the opportunity presents itself, Fulcher said that he would choose to continue his career in college.

Returning top-five golfer junior Judson Gardner is set to move up as one of the top Rams this season. First-year golfer junior Logan Gosdin will battle with Gardner for the two-three position in the top four, while eighth-grader Cameron Cotton is expected to round out the group.

“I think this season, we’ll continue to see these guys learn the sport,” Power said. “Golf is a sport that doesn’t necessarily get a lot of recognition per se, especially in high school and in this area. Football and basketball are the kings around the area, but golf is a sport that has a lot longer shelf life than football or basketball. It’s something that can work in the business world as well. It’s neat to introduce these guys to a new sport and see them fall in love  with it.”

Valley opens the season at Opelika for a match on Feb. 26 at the Indian Pines Golf Course in Auburn.