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Clovis boys win golf opener

HOBBS — The first leg of a two-city back-to-back on two different courses in two different cities started well for the Clovis Wildcats.

The Clovis boys got a victory over Hobbs by a stroke, and notched their first qualifying leg for the state tournament in May at Wednesday’s Hobbs Invite.

Clovis had four of the top eight golfers on the day, including Christian Fontanilla and Dakota York shooting 79 in a three-way tie with Artesia’s Wesley Davis.

Kolt Bennett and David Maldonado shot 80, along with Hobbs’ Tanner Cox and Artesia’s Parker Sanders.

“They did well,” Clovis boys coach Dale Fullerton said. “They had some bumps, but they came back and played really well. They worked hard.”

Clovis scored 318 to edge Hobbs and earn its first of three team legs. A coach can bring as many golfers as desired, but five are picked before the tournament to count as the team score — calculated by adding the top four scores. Hobbs scored 319, and Artesia rounded out team scoring at 332.

Hobb’s Tyler Cox ran away with medalist honors with a 72. Blayne Casey shot 88 for Clovis.

In girls action, Artesia’s Josey Jackson shot 77 to lead the field, and three Bulldogs were among the top four golfers.

Portales’ Janae Hale shot 83 to finish third, while Raquel Anaya of Clovis shot 90 for fifth.

Clovis’ team score was 402 — fourth place out of four team scores, but four shots shy of a qualifying leg.

“I’ve got two girls who’ve never played varsity; they did fine,” Clovis coach Steve Speck said. “Hobbs is probably the hardest course we’ll have all year, and to miss it by four strokes with two new girls, I was impressed.”

Other Clovis golfers were Logan Clayton (92), Hannah Reed (108), Destiny Hodges (112) and Ashley Maldonado (115).

Artesia cruised to the team title with a 344, followed by Hobbs (389), Goddard (390) and Clovis.

Portales brought two golfers on the day — Hale and Kaitlynne Underbrink, who shot a 124. Coach Candra Reynolds said she has two eighth-graders and a senior who’s a first-year golfer, and she didn’t want to throw them on the difficult Hobbs course their first time out.

Portales’ boys will be in action today with both Clovis teams at the New Mexico Military Invite at Roswell. Texico’s girls team will also compete.

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