If the Lowry High School girls golf team was going to break through and beat Elko this year, not many were thinking it was going to be on Ruby View Golf Course, the Indians' home grounds.
The Lady Bucks did just that on Thursday, Sept. 25, with a nine-shot victory. Lowry shot a season-best 372 in the Division I-A North, while Elko was second at 381. Fernley was third at 405 and Spring Creek (439) and Churchill County (441) rounded out the top five.
"It was a nice day for us," said LHS coach Vince Mendiola. "The girls are getting more confident and realized that they can beat Elko. Not many expected us to win on their home course. They are getting better every time out and hopefully that continues.
Fernley's Brittany Evans and Truckee's Sienna Scibird led the way with rounds of 80. The Lady Bucks' Alyssa Dendary and Elko's Kaily Beatty each shot 82. Spring Creek's Mikal Jerman had the only other score in the 80s with an 85.
Dendary shot 37 on the front nine, but ran into a couple of big numbers on the back nine, according to Mendiola.
"Alyssa is playing well and hitting the ball well," said the coach. "A 37 is a good number at Ruby View. There are couple of holes on that back nine,, where there is danger. Unfortunately, see got in trouble on a couple of holes."
Sophomore Brooklyn Backus shot her best round of her high school career with a 93. Savanna Cox, another sophomore, shot 97, her lowest total on the season.
"Brooklyn broke that 100 mark the day before in Spring Creek and that 93 is a good score," Mendiola. We need her to stay right there or even break into the 80s. Savannah also played and that is one her better rounds."
Elise Rose shot 100, Kaity Sample fired her best round of the year at 105 and Veronica Jones rounded out the scores with an 117.
Lowry began its Elko County swing on Wednesday, Sept. 24, with a second-place finish at Spring Creek. Elko took home the team crown with a 378 and Lowry was second at 387. Fernley was third at 413 and Spring Creek (445) and Churchill County (452) were fourth and fifth, respectively.
Scibird and Beatty had the best rounds of the day at 79 and Evans was third with an 81. Dendary finished fourth were round of 83 and Jerman (85) was fifth.
Backus and Rose each finished with rounds of 99, Sample shot 106, Cox 115 and Jones rounded out the Lowry scores with a 126.
"The scores are coming down little by little," Mendiola said. "Kaity has played well and just played her best two rounds."
With just three tournaments left in the regular season, Lowry has all but secured a spot in the state tournament. The Division I-A North doesn't hold a regional championship and the three state teams are determined by the final points standings. Elko is currently first with 49, Lowry is second at 46 and Fernley (40) is third. Churchill County (33) has a slight mathematical shot at catching one of the top three teams.
The state tournament will be held Monday, Oct. 20, and Tuesday, Oct. 21, at Ruby View Golf Course in Elko.
"It helps the confidence that we won there," Mendiola said. "Hopefully, we can maker another trip up there before the state tournament."
Lowry was back on the course Thursday in Truckee and results were not available at press time. The Lady Bucks travel to Fernley on Thursday.[[In-content Ad]]
