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SIERRA VISTA — The Buena boys golf team enters the postseason this weekend with every intention of winning their sectional qualifer and exceeding their fifth-place finish at state in 2006 despite the fact that none of their golfers figure to threaten for the individual crown.
“We haven’t had anybody go under par for 18 holes,” Buena head coach Brenden Root said. “To have a chance at state you probably have to go two days in a row under par for 18 holes.”
Friday the Colts begin play in one of two sectional qualifiers at Maryvale Golf Course in Phoenix. The two-day, 36-hole tournament will send eight of 14 teams to the state tournament automatically, as well as the top handful of individual qualifiers whose teams did not make it.
In 2006, Buena was led by standout senior golfers Tom Callahan and Neal McCarty, but week after week, the Colts struggled to get low scores from the bottom of the lineup.
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“We’re much more consistent. We don’t have such extreme variation,” Root said. “In 2006, we sometimes had 10 or 15 stroke variations depending on how we scored 4-5-6. This year, we don’t let up as much anymore.”
Root named sophomores James Wallace and Colin McCarty as his No. 1 and No. 2 golfers for the sectional, though all of his top four golfers have, at one time or another, been the team’s low scorer for the round.
“If everyone plays even halfway decent, we’ll be fine. And if we all play to our potential, we have a chance to win it,” McCarty, the younger brother of Neal, said. “For me (the balance) is kind of comforting. Whether I shoot well or not, either way, it’s not going to be too bad.”
David Chung, Logan Canfield, the team’s lone senior, and Logan Daynes round out the Colts’ top five for sectionals. Salpointe Catholic, the Colts’ top 5A Southern Region rival, with whom they shared the regular season region championships, are in a separate sectional qualifying field of 13.
Chandler Hamilton, the No. 1 rated team in the state, is Buena’s chief competition at the sectionals.
“I know if I have a good mindset and two good days, I can finish top five at state,” Wallace said, adding that knowing he’s part of a team effort might dissuade him from taking chances he might if he were playing only for himself. “Every shot does count — you have to think of it. But if you have two good days, any of us could win it.”
In late September, Chung, Canfield, McCarty and Wallace played as amateurs in the 24th annual Sierra Vista Open. There, they were paired with mini-tour professionals and played in their threesomes for three days. Immediately after the tournament, Buena’s scores fell off, but they’ve since returned and Wallace and McCarty believed they learned a lot from that experience.
“That’s always a learning experience for them,” Root said. “They’re all much better with their short games around the greens. They’re realizing they need to put as much work into that as o the range or anything else.”
The state tournament is the following Wednesday in Phoenix.
“Overall, it’s about having a good mindset,” Wallace said. “Like coach says — be a warrior, accept the challenge.”
For Root, it’s a lot easier going into a do-or-die event not having to count on particular players to go particularly low. He remembered the 2002 season when only an unlikely five-under par 67 posted by freshman Cody Paterson, enabled the Colts to reach state as a team.
“There’s a lot more anxiety and problems when you have to rely on one or two guys to get in under par,” Root said. “I have no doubts at this point. I’m confident we’re shooting numbers that no doubt will make state.”
Buena girls siting
in third place
SIERRA VISTA — Because of AIMS testing requirements, the 5A Southern Region girls golf regionals began on Monday and will conclude with the second round on Friday at Crooked Tree Golf Course in Marana.
Buena currently sits third in the Division I standings among four teams and the top three qualify as teams for state. Buena is guaranteed a state berth because Casa Grande was not able to post a team score.
Lindsay Rasmussen led the way for Buena with a 108 followed by Jessie Bangle with a 113. Breanna O’Neill and Stephanie Tebo each shot a 115. Alternate Amber McDaniel shot a 117 but it did not count toward the team score.
“The exciting part was that other than a 161, all of the other girls shot in the 50s on each nine — that’s never happened before,” Buena head coach Bill Wright said.
Buena currently sits six strokes behind Tucson High for second place and 62 behind leading Salpointe Catholic.
Herald/Review sports editor Matt Hickman can be reached at 515-4612 or by e-mail at sports@svherald.com.
