Golf:  Andrews, Monahans in Top Two Spots at I-3A Girls Golf
    By Craig Craker, Staff Writers ~~Odessa American -- OA Varsity, April 23, 2008


MIDLAND  Snyder, and more recently Andrews, have been the dominant forces at the Region I-3A Girls Golf Championships over the last few years.

The two golf titans have consistently gone to state - and fared well at that level - whether in Class 4A or 3A.

This year, a new name is sitting atop the leaderboard with Andrews - Monahans.

The Lady Loboes shot the best round in school history and are in second place, six strokes behind Andrews with a 308 after first-round play at Nueva Vista Golf Club.

The Lady Mustang shot 302 and Seminole is third at 320. Snyder is a distant fourth at 323.

"The kids have been playing well all year, but just at different times," Monahans coach Becky Hix said.  "We're worried about first or second.  Either one advances and that is what we want."

Monahans last went to state as a team in 2004 after winning the regional title that year.

The Lady Loboes had a medalist advance in 2005, but if they stay consistent in today's second round, the entire team should be headed back to Austin.

"We do have a little bit of a lead," Hix said, "but no lead is ever safe."

Shelbye Hill's 71, a career low, led the Lady Loboes and was the second best score of the day.  Seminole's Samantha Soto shot a 2-under-par 70 to lead the medalist standings.

While no Andrews players shot under par, it was a consistent effort that helped keep the Lady Mustangs in front as every player broke 80.

Andrews was struggling at the turn, with three players shooting 41s on the front nine.  But the Lady Mustangs turned it around on the back nine, shooting 4-over as a team.

"I'm real happy with where we are after our front nine," Andrews coach Mark Burgren said.  "We didn't play anywhere close to what we were capable of, especially with perfect weather conditions."

Addison Long's even-par 72 led the Lady Mustangs, while Morgan Dockery and Kaylan Brownlee shot 76s.  Jennifer Joyce added a 78 and Desiree Gallegos a 79.

Brownlee was one of the Lady Mustangs who shot a 41 on the front, before rallying with a 35 on the back.

"The back nine I was definitely concentrating more," she said.  "I wasn't doing that on the front and I just got my swing going again.

"I don't know if it was nerves or what.  The greens were different than they were during our practice round and it took me a while to figure out the speed."

Once the Lady Mustangs figured it out, the rest of the region was in trouble once again.

The defending Class 3A state champions only lead by six, but it is a nearly insurmountable lead for the undefeated Lady Mustangs.

"Advancing is the No. 1 goal," Burgren said.  "If we win it that is an extra feather in our cap."

 

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