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Thursday, March 20, 2008

Moriarty Improves by 10 Strokes

By Harold Smith
Mountain View Telegraph
    The Moriarty High boys golf team took seventh place out of 13 total teams in the West Mesa Invitational at Ladera Golf Course on Tuesday.
    The Pintos accumulated 421 strokes. Rio Rancho, one of seven scoring teams, won the event with 310.
    "We haven't had a lot of practice on an actual course," said Moriarty first-year coach Frank Gonzalez, whose girls didn't make the trip. "But their scores improved. Except for one, who wasn't out here the last time, their scores improved by 10 strokes."
    The tourney was played on the original home course of famed New Mexico golfer Notah Begay III. His picture and name is displayed throughout Ladera's clubhouse.
    "(Tuesday) was actually one of my better days," said Sean Barton, the Pintos' sole senior. "For two weeks we just practiced our chipping. Then last week, we started using our irons. That really helped me a lot."
    The Moriarty quintet included Jordan Schenk (94), Ted Flores (94), Niko Coronado (97), Barton (136) and Danny Swain (147).
    "I had a little trouble on the front nine," said Schenk, a junior. "But I think (overall) it's going great. I really like this new coach. He really tries to help us... It's nice to get a little help out there."
   
Manzano
    The Monarchs fielded a full boys team and one girl to compete in the La Cueva Invitational at Arroyo del Oso Golf Course on Monday.
    "We didn't do too well," Manzano coach John Beaver said. "But Angelo Fitch (a sophomore from the Paa-Ko area), he shot an 80, which is a qualifying score for state."
    Fitch finished in a five-way tie for 10th. Manzano's boys were seventh as a team— out of 13 scoring squads— with a 349.
    "(Jennifer) Wylie, she was off the state mark by three strokes (at 99)," Beaver said.
    Wylie, a junior, lives in Sandia Park.
   
East Mountain
    Lady Timberwolves senior Nyssa Homer shot a 101 at the La Cueva tourney on Monday. Her male counterpart, Noah Duran, had a 97.
    The East Mountain boys placed 13th with a 430. The girls didn't field a full team.
    The T'Wolves also were to compete in the West Mesa event on Tuesday, but EMHS first-year coach Tony Herald said his team's participation was canceled because two tourneys in two days was deemed to be too much.
    East Mountain remains in a building process. That includes work with Roosevelt Middle School's players.
    "We'll have some kids who can play some golf at the high school level in a couple of years," Herald said.
   
   
    Golf
    Next Up:
   

East Mountain and Moriarty in Española Valley-hosted Sundevil Invitational: March 31 at Black Mesa Golf Club in La Mesilla, April 1 at Towa Golf Course in Pojoaque (9 a.m. both days)
   

Manzano in Albuquerque Invitational at UNM Championship Course: boys, March 31; girls, April 1 (8 a.m. both days)