The Española Valley boys golf team achieved a milestone April 6 when they shot the first state-qualifying team score in the history of the school’s golf program. The Sundevils carded a 326 and finishing first among the three teams that competed in the Española Invitational at Black Mesa Golf Club.
Moriarty finished second with 355 and Tucumcari carded a 397 in third place. A state-qualifying team score at Black Mesa was 332.8 or lower.
The state-qualifying round came on the second day of the tournament. Española had finished first the first day by shooting a 335 April 5 at Towa Golf Club in Pojoaque.
“When we started (seven years ago), if we shot 420 it was a pretty good day,” Española coach Tom Velarde said. “We used to be a team that looked at other teams with awe. Now we’re the one’s being looked at.”
Team scores are tabulated by taking each team’s top four individual scores.
The Sundevils achieved the state qualifying score because three of their players turned in state-qualifying rounds of less than 82. Jacob Serrano led the way with a 78 in second place, while Adam Montoya carded an 80 for third and Joseph Roybal carded an 81 in a tie with Tucumcari’s Gabriel Montoya for fourth. Moriarty’s Manny Sandoval won the event with a 77.
Serrano, Montoya and Roybal are all seniors. Eighth-graders Ray Cutter and Chris Serrano, Jacob’s younger brother, round out the Sundevils’ team. Cutter shot an 87 and Chris Serrano shot a 99.
For Serrano and Roybal, it was their second state-qualifying individual scores of the season. Serrano shot his first state-qualifying round of 80 Sept. 29, 2009 at Black Mesa. For Roybal, it was his second-straight state-qualifying round in as many days. He had shot a 78 April 5 in the tournament’s opening round. A golfer needs to shoot three state-qualifying rounds to qualify as an individual for the Class AAAA state championship golf tournament to be held in May.
Serrano and Roybal have three tournaments and five more rounds left to play to get the final qualifying rounds they’ll need.
“Where we’re going to play now I got my third and fourth qualifying rounds last year,” Serrano said.
In 2009, Serrano became the first male golfer in Española history to qualify for the state tournament. Roybal hopes to join him this season.
“I’ve been playing at those tournaments since the eighth grade,” Roybal said. “I’m comfortable there.”
For Montoya, it was his first state-qualifying round of the season and a dramatic improvement over the 95 he had scored April 5.
“To his credit he did things differently the following day,” Velarde said.
Española has never won a District 2AAAA golf championship, but this year its chances appear to be good. None of the other district teams — Los Alamos, Bernalillo, Capital and Taos — have shot a state-qualifying score as a team.
“Our team has a really good chance,” Roybal said. “Those eighth graders are going to help us.”
Velarde agrees.
“What we have now is depth,” he said. ”Now the guy that doesn’t play very well is so much better.”
Lady Sundevils
Española Valley junior Beverly Williams became the first female golfer in school history to qualify for the Class AAAA state golf tournament in consecutive years. Williams shot a state-qualifying score of 89 April 6 at Black Mesa for her third state-qualifying round of the season.
Then-senior Alicia Salazar became the first Española golfer — male or female — to qualify for the state tournament in 2008.
“I’m in,” Williams said. “It’s relieving. Last year, I didn’t qualify until the very end.”
Williams had carded a 93 at Black Mesa Sept. 29 2009, and a 94 at Santa Fe Country Club Oct. 5 2009, in her other qualifying rounds. She had qualified for state last year as a sophomore.
Senior Shayla McCall, who was attending classes at Northern New Mexico College April 8 when Williams was practicing, may keep Williams company at the Class AAAA state tournament this year. McCall shot her second state-qualifying round with a score of 91 April 5 at Black Mesa. McCall had previously shot a 94 at Black Mesa Sept. 29 for her first qualifying round.
“She just needs one more,” Williams said. “She’ll get it and we’ll both be going.”
None of the girls teams participating in the Española Invitational had enough girls (four) to score as a team. McCalll and Williams shot the only state-qualifying rounds of any girls during the tournament.
The Class AAAA state golf championship will be held May 9 to 11 at the New Mexico State University Golf Course in Las Cruces.