Boys win Tall City tournament, Ladies fourth at Stockton
    By Dave Poynor, Staff Writer -- Monahans News -- March 5, 2004

Stiff winds and downright cold conditions can leave high school golfers wondering, "Are we having fun yet," but the veteran Monahans teams came through the last weekend improved from the test.  

The MHS boys team took first in the 3A division of the premier area event-Midland's Tall City Tournament.  Coach David Burnett's boys shot 642 for the two days to win by 11 shots over Canyon.  More importantly, the Loboes faced 20 of the region's best 3A teams on the course they will play in April for the regional championship, Nueva Vista.  Now Burnett's squad will have confidence and an experience to fall back on.

"The windy conditions made the course play tough," he said.  "But our Loboes did not let the wind win the battle.  I thought a score of 330 Saturday would be good enough for the win, and these guys came through with a 318.  That was a very good score under the circumstances."

Braxton Brin anchored the team with 77-76, good enough for second place in the medalist race.  Bobby Burkholder played to a 79-80-159, J.W. Burnett had 82-79-161, Joe Joe Birdwell carded a 168, and Isaac Nabarrette shot 175.

Canyon finished second in the team total with 652, followed by Fort Stockton at 661.

Girls coach Becky Hix would have preferred a better finish at the Stockton tournament, but said the wind was bad both days, and he scores reflected it.

Andrews, one of the top 4A girls programs in the state, shot 681 to win the event, followed by El Paso Franklin Pecos, and the Loboes at 741.  Senior Whitney Mitchell shot 86-83 to finish tied for the third, and Allison Jordan was eighth with 89-93-182.  Hix's girls, like the boys last weekend, get a preview of regional at the girls' Tall City, while the boys take on another tough challenge at the Andrews tournament.