The Durango High School girls golf team took nine golfers down to Kirtland’s Riverview golf course to compete in the Aztec varsity girls golf tournament Monday. In the team race, Durango finished second behind Piedra Vista. Kirtland Central finished third, followed by Montezuma-Cortez, Miyamura and Navajo Prep.
“I’m really happy with where everybody is at,” said DHS head coach Kirk Rawles. “They all want to work hard and keep working on their swings. Even the girls who aren’t competing are coming in and working hard.”
Freshman Ellie White led DHS, shooting an 85 to finish second individually.
“Ellie had another good round; she was pretty consistent and didn’t have any blowup holes,” Rawles said. The coach said the course had a lot of native grass and dirt, which White avoided.
“If you hit a wayward shot, you might not find your ball,” Rawles said.
White was joined by three teammates in the top 10 and four others in the top 20.
Junior Zayda Mestas shot an 87 to place fourth.
“Zayda had a good round,” Rawles said.
Freshman Avery Rike, who was competing in just her second tournament, shot a 93 and finished eighth. “I thought that was exceptional for only her second tournament,” Rawles said.
Junior Natasha Walcott “kind of struggled,” Rawles said, finishing 10th with a 94.
Junior Clair Paul shot a 96 and placed 14th.
Junior Eliza Bosmans and senior Eliza Bosmans both shot a 99 and tied for 16th.
Freshman Shae Madrid finished 19th with a 101. Freshman Raimee Brant shot a 105, placing 23rd.
Piedra Vista freshman Annie Yost shot a 72 to win the tournament. “That’s exceptional for a high school girls golfer to shoot that,” Rawles said. “It was fun for the girls to see something like that is attainable.”
Durango will next compete in its home tournament Monday at the Hillcrest Golf Club, with the first girls teeing off about 11:30 a.m.
Rawles said some work is being done at Hillcrest, so the girls will play the same nine holes twice. They’ll start on hole No. 1, then play 14, 15, 16, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
“It’s a little different and kind of fun,” Rawles said. “It’s like playing a different course.”
Montezuma-Cortez, Alamosa, Gunnison and several New Mexico squads will compete. Rawles said he gave the New Mexico teams the option to bring some boys golfers as well since they’re also in season.
DHS will then compete in Cortez the following day.
