Lady Loboes Ready to Make Mark
    By Joel A. Erickson ~~ Odessa American, February 13, 2009

Forgive the Lady Loboes if they sound like they're trying to keep expectations to a minimum this season.

Consider the circumstances.  After three long years of third-place finishes at the regional tournament - one spot away from state - the Monahans girls golf team finally qualified last season.

More importantly the entire lineup is back - Shelbye Hill, Jordan Jernigan, Victoria Moore, Allison Parks and Courtney Rutledge.

So head coach Becky Hix doesn't want her team to get ahead of themselves.

"State is always a goal," Hix said.  "You have to take it one step at a time, and not really look that far ahead."

Keeping the blinders on her team might be a little harder for Hix than most coaches.

The Lady Loboes get to see the two-time defending Class 3A champs - Andrews - almost every time they take the golf course.

And now they know the Lady Mustangs aren't invincible.

Playing in the Monahans Sandhills Invitational, the Lady Loboes beat Class 4A Abilene Cooper and Andrews for team title.

Rutledge wasn't even playing.  At the time she was still playing basketball.

"On paper they ought to be the favorite," Andrews head coach Mark Burgen said.  "They finished second last year, and they didn't graduate any from last year."

Andrews and Monahans will face off again this weekend at the third-annual Class 3A State Preview, a tournament that Andrews is holding at Roy Kizer Golf Course in Austin, the site of the Class 3A state championship tournament in May.

"What we've talked about this week is that each week we need to go play the golf course, shoot a good score and let the rest take care of itself," Hix said.

Keyed by Harlon Carter , Senior '09