WINNEMUCCA - After three tournaments to start the Northern 3A season, the Lowry High School boys golf team looks poised to win its second league title in three years. The Buckaroos are also looking to win their state record 11th state title. They have finished first or second in the last three 3A state championships, winning in 2010.
The Buckaroos remained perfect on the season by winning their third tournament of the year Tuesday in Fallon with a score of 411. Elko finished second with a 427 and Spring Creek was a close third at 431.
"The course played pretty tough," said LHS head coach Andrew Meyer. "The greens were a little rough and punched a little bit but nothing that was bad. It was tough to get a good read on the games. It still was a win and a 411 was not bad. The general feeling afterwards was that we lost. The kids didn't feel like they won. I see these guys beating themselves up, trying to put the whole team on their back. That has got my attention and that is why they are talking to Rick (Longhurst, Winnemucca Municipal golf pro). He's just talking to them about the mental part of the game and everyone has each other's back."
Dayton (456) and Churchill County (461, the defending 3A state champion) rounded out the top five. Fernley (482) was sixth and South Tahoe (490) and Sparks (622) completed the team scores. Truckee did not have enough players to record a team total.
Lowry is now solidly in front in the league standings with 27 points, with Elko second at 23 and Spring Creek third with 22. The top three teams in the final regular season standings advance to the state tournament to be held in Boulder City in May. Churchill County is fourth with 16 points but would need Lowry, Elko or Spring Creek to falter in order to defend its state championship.
"The one thing I told these guys is that Elko is coming after us and doesn't like losing," Meyer said. "They are getting better and creeping up on us. It may not seem like it, but they are. We have to put the work in just as hard as they are."
Thaaron Kalt shot a score of 76 on his home course to win low medalist honors for the Greenwave. Lowry's Chris Mendoza tied for second with Spring Creek's Brett Peterson at 78.
"I can't believe how proud I am of Chris," Meyer said. "He is playing awesome. He had a really good round at Dayton and another one at Fallon. Things are just clicking for him. He has putts falling and is hitting the ball well. He just has a fluid golf swing that people would pay thousands of dollars for. He has a big smile on his face and has a great attitude, even if he is playing bad."
Fellow Buckaroo Ethan Gray tied for fourth with a 79 along with Dayton's Clay Stoll and Elko's John Hull.
"Ethan is back and healthy after hurting himself at Dayton," added the coach. "He is playing well and it looks like there are no effects from his injury."
Other scores for Lowry included Cole Erquiaga with an 82, Josh Shaver at 83, Chris Dendary (89) and Jacob Jakich (91).
The Buckaroos are off this weekend and then host the Northern 3A on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Winnemucca Municipal Golf Course.
"I think it will be a big momentum swing for us to host a tournament right now," Meyer said. "Honestly with the talent we have out here we should be untouched by the other schools. There should be no one within 20 shots of us. If everybody puts it together, we will be a dangerous team. We have the ability to have four to five guys shoot in the 70s. The main thing for us is course management and build the confidence up in each other. I think if we do that, we will be just fine."
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