Compiled by Richard Smith

West Valley Preps

The high school boys and girls golf season began in August at schools across the state.West Valley Preps asked local high school coaches about their teams. Here are their responses.

Cactus Cobras

Boys Coach: Matt Gilbert

Girls Coach: Julie Mohn (second year)

Region: Developmental

Who are your top returning players (girls)? Our top returning golfers are Karen Whitney and Isabella Armstrong.

Who are some newcomers that may have an impact this year (girls)? I have nine newcomers this year. They all will make an impact on the team because they are all fighting for one of the top five positions

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Competition amongst one another is always good. It will only make them become better players. The teams best attribute is that there is competition for the top 5 positions. Last year we only had five girls so it was automatic that everyone got to play.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? The primary team goal is to keep on improving each week. My two returners have their eye on making it to state.

Centennial Coyotes

Boys and Girls Coach: Brady Pond (Second season as boys coach, first year as girls coach)

Region: Division II Section V

Who are your top returning players? Boys’ top returner is Riley Brown (Senior). Top underclassman is Kyle Roberts (Sophomore). Girls’ top returner is Co-Captain Gloriana Pavey (Junior). Also expecting good progress from Jayden Gawronski (Junior)

Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys’: Mostly returners from a team filled with freshmen from a year ago. Jake Lydic and Lantz Fraze will round out the top 4 with plenty of varsity match experience from last season as freshmen. Jeremy McDaniel (Senior), Isaac Chavira (Junior), and Ryan Mixey (Sophomore) will battle for match time all season.Girl’s: Mostly returners from last season. Carmen Cochrane returned this year after not golfing last season. Jetta Jasinek has the potential to crack the top five.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Although not all upperclassmen the Boy’s group has plenty of match and tournament experience which should improve scores and standings. Captain Riley Brown is learning his role as a leader and should push the younger golfers.More experience last season equal more confidence for the girls this season. Junior Gracie Williams and Senior Co-Captain Cat Aragon give us experience on the back end of the lineup.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Primary goals for both team is to consistently improve scores over the season and stay competitive. Individually we want to qualify a couple players for state at minimum.

Deer Valley Skyhawks

Boys Coach: Allen Ferguson (fourth year)

Girls Coach: Greg Rice (first year at Deer Valley)

Region: Division II Section VI

Who are your top returning golfers? 2 top boys players are Tim Scott and J.T. Hodges. Girls: My top returning golfer is Bri Bouzanquet senior.

Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys: Freshman Colton Hale. Girls: Amanda Willis soph and Mayumi Murphy junior.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Boys: We are young and building.Girls: We are trying to build the program here and are working to improve every day. We have 5 players who are very competitive and work hard to improve their golf game. This is my first year coaching the girl’s golf team at Deer Valley. It is my 13th year coaching girls golf. I was the girl’s golf coach over at Sandra Day O’Connor for 12 years. I also, am the varsity baseball head coach at Deer Valley.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Boys: Team goal, field 5 starters every week. Individual goal, Tim Scott and J.T. Hodges reach the state tournament. Girls: Our goal is to have players qualify for the state tournament. It will be a fun challenge to build this program back to an elite girl’s golf program.

Dysart Demons

Boys Coach: Thomas Vesey

Girls Coach: Dustin Borst (second year)

Region: Division II Section III

Who are your top returning golfers? Girls: Andrea Arroyo (junior), Emily Heinzerling (junior), Sofia Arroyo (sophomore)

Who are some newcomers that may have an impact this year? Girls: Samantha Trantham (junior) is playing her first year of golf and she has already shown a lot of improvement.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Girls: We are still pretty young with no seniors so we have time improve.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Girls: Our primary goal is to get our scores down, really perfect the fundamentals and get better everyday.

Liberty Lions

Boys Coach: Ron Anderson (11th year)

Girls Coach: Eric Brenton

Region: Division I Desert Valley

Who are your top returning golfers? Kobe Valociek – 2018 state qualifier as a sophomore. Reid Borg – Senior leader

Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Jack Spar – transferred in last year, missed half the season because but had  a big impact on the team, expected to help lead the team this year.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Depth. We have 7 players who can all put up solid numbers on any given day

What are your primary team and individual goals this season? Repeat as district champions and make it to state as a team.

Mountain Ridge Mountain Lions

Boys Coach: Jeff Williams (fourth year)

Girls Coach: Gavin Tolan (first year)

Region: Division I Desert Valley

Who are your top returning golfers? Girls: Our top returning golfers are led by senior Kaydin Warfield, junior Lauren Gurney, and sophomore Jacie Warfield. Jacie make the state tournament as an individual player last year as a freshman. Lauren was on pace to do so as well and then suffered a broken scapulae (shoulder blade).

Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Girls: Paige Dormal is a transfer from Sandra Day O’Connor and will miss the first half of our season. I expect Paige to make a big impact on our team’s overall success. She is a very strong golfer and is eager to get in matches.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Our best attribute is that we have a group of six or seven players that can get around a course with skill, passion, and drive. I am lucky to take over a program that has a chance to make some noise for the first time in quite a while.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? I think our team is focused on having the best time we can as a group this season. We have 15 girls on the roster and we want the five playing in any given match to know they are representing the 10 others that are putting in the work along side them. Individually, we have four players that have a real change of making the state tourney. I think they would say their goal is to give their best effort, be a competitor, and try to put Mountain Ridge girls golf back on the map.

Shadow Ridge Stallions

Boys Coach: Scott Lihs (third year)

Girls Coach: Robert Bohon (third year)

Region: Division I Southwest

Who are your top returning golfers? Boys: Josh Thurman (senior), Xavier Flores (junior), Gavin Lepinski (sophomore). Girls: Seniors Lilly Lopez and Ballie Wright.

Who are some newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys: Mekhi White (sophomore). Girls: Alyssa Cucci and Tori Britton will be changing roles playing in the matches this season.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Boys: We are a tight knit group of young men who truly love the game and enjoy hanging out with each, these guys are best friends outside golf (it seems) Girls: They are a hard working group and get along together very well.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Boys: Goals are to improve our stroke average each week and continue to grow our game. Girls: Goal is to get better and compete in each tournament and match.

Sunrise Mountain Mustangs

Boys Coach: Nick Rizer (21st year)

Girls Coach: Miguel Palacios (fourth year)

Region: Division II Section V

Who are your top returning players? Boys’ top returners are senior Caleb Thomason, junior Ben Lorenz (tied for second in Division II last fall) and sophomore Landon Albertson. Girls’ top returner: This year my number 1 is, junior, Kendal Gutierrez. She is the defending district and region champion. I also have two very good golfers who can shoot right there with her in, senior, Cayla McSorley (three-time state [layer) and, sophomore, Carlee Wooldridge.

Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys senior Tyler Brooks and sophomores Bryce Kellerhals and Cade Balko. Girls: She is not new to the team but, sophomore, Morgan Keller has put in a lot of work in the off-season and she is starting the season as my number 3 player.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Boys: Great group of young men that work hard to improve their game. Girls: I think our experience is our greatest attribute. We have four girls on the team who have played in the state tourney and a couple of these girls have been down to Tucson multiple times. We are not intimidated by any team or course, so we can focus on our game.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Boys: Our goal every year is to qualify for the state tournament, but more importantly, to produce quality young men when they leave high school.Girls: Our expectation is to repeat as district and region champion, to qualify for state as a team and to have one of our seniors play golf at the next level next year.

Valley Vista Monsoon

Boys Coach: Rick Scafie (second year)

Girls Coach: Steve Trezzo (fourth year)

Region: Division I Southwest

Who are your top returning golfers? Boys: Senior Marcus Bright Avg. 42. Girls: Caitlin Callaway and Mia Barker (seniors) Been to state two years, hoping to reach again.

Who are some newcomers that may have an impact this year? Boys: Sophomores Jacob Shaff and Derek Johnson and Junior Josh Berry. Girls: Cheyenne Cooper (first time trying golf, already low 50s). Nine total athletes.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Boys: All are positive kids that enjoy golf. We have nine golfers this year. Last year we had seven. Girls: Teachable, great attitude, honesty/ethics in scoring, attention to detail, character matters.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Boys: We would like Marcus to make it to state. The young kids on the team just need to keep getting better and dropping scores, which they are doing. Girls: It is difficult for a team like ours with such a diverse socioeconomic status to find what others may deem success. We do not have a country club nearby. We draw from a lower income community and golf is something that seems out of reach due to money concerns and a lack of parent support among our average students in regards to golf. We strive to learn the game, improve everyday in some area and find personal and team successes along the way. We have made it to state each of the last two years and did well last year. Winning our district cup would be a realistic and challenging goal as the students enjoy a rivalry and seeing some of the same players from last year. Another goal would be to expand interest in the game among today’s youth as we form lasting bonds with our community.

Willow Canyon Wildcats

Boys Coach: Joe Simmerman

Girls Coach: Jason Stutenroth (fifth year)

Region: Division II Section VI

Who are your top returning golfers? Girls: Madison Blake, senior, is my only returning player.

Who are some of the newcomers that may have an impact this year? Girls: Madison Kerr, freshman. She’s been playing golf since about four years old and there are high expectations of her this season.

What is your team’s best attribute entering this season? Girls: I would say their perseverance. Coming to practice everyday and trying their best.

What are the primary goals for this year’s team? Girls: Team goals would be to just improve each and every match. Individually, I’d say both Madison’s should qualify for the state tournament.