The Pagosa Springs High School Pirate golf team took third at Monday’s SCA Spartans Boys Golf Invite, with Pirate Johnathon Smith taking first.
The tournament also gave the team a taste of Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, where the state tournament will be played in the coming weeks.
Eighteen teams competed at the event.
“Overall, it was a good day. It was a long day,” coach Mark Faber said, explaining the team drove up, played and returned home the same day.
But, the coach added, it was worth it to see the course where state will be played.
“I think they got a really good look at it,” he said. “They played it, so they have a much better idea of how they want to play it, or how we need to play it, for state if we make it there. ... It was a long trip, bit it was absolutely well worth it.”
Smith shot a 72 on the day to take first out of the 66 golfers competing.
“Obviously, Johnathon played well,” Faber said, adding, “There’s more there, but he did play well.”
Smith shot birdie on three holes, par on 12 and bogey on three.
Tyler Dimond shot an 80 to tie for fifth.
“Tyler had his best tournament and played extremely well,” Faber said, “What I’ve been expecting out of him all year long, that’s what he did, that’s where he was ... so that was really good.”
Dimond shot birdie on one hole, par on 10 and bogey on five.
Isabel Galloway finished with a 101 to place 45th.
Her effort included shooting par on four holes and bogey on one.
“Isabel played well,” the coach said. “She hung right in there and played well.”
Cedar Liverett began the tournament, but withdrew after 11 holes due to a shoulder issue flaring up.
Liverett could have helped the team’s score “considerably,” but that they didn’t want to him to hurt something worse prior to regionals.
This week, the Pirates are gearing up for regional competition, which is set on Monday, Sept. 30 at Conquistador Golf Course in Cortez.
Faber indicated the Pirates will continue working toward being competitive at regionals.
“Tyler really seemed to put it together. That’s what we’ve been working on all year and it seemed to come out ... which I’m excited about,” Faber said.
He added the team is hoping to have Liverett healthy.
Faber noted Galloway is continuing to work hard.
“Hopefully we can get a few strokes off her game,” the coach said.
Faber added it would be “very nice” to be competitive as a team at the event, which is slated to feature some of the best teams in the state.
The coach noted that while the Pirates would love to qualify as a team, they’re focusing on qualifying individually.
The top 84 golfers from across the state’s four regional tournaments will make it to state.
“They have the ability to make that work if they play as well as they can,” Faber said. “So, that’s what we’re hoping we’re gettin’ them to. We’ve got one more week to get it there.”
randi@pagosasun.com
