Cats' bid for title comes up short

LAS CRUCES — Clovis High's boys couldn't mount a run at a Class 5A boys state championship on Tuesday.

Even tougher, they fell just one stroke short of third place and a state trophy.

District 4-5A rival Hobbs played by far the best golf of the day, shooting 310 for a two-day total of 614 to capture the championship. First-day leader Onate, meantime, struggled to a 326 score and finished second, 15 shots back.

Rio Rancho Cleveland, fifth after Monday's round, managed to overtake the Wildcats for third, shooting 320 on Tuesday for a 635 total while the Cats finished at 636 after a 329 second-day team score.

"Hobbs had four kids in the 70s; they played really good today," CHS boys coach Cal Fullerton said. "Right after the first hole, the wind really picked up. At times it was nice and at times it really blew hard.

"The conditions were a little more difficult today (than Monday)."

Six of the seven teams shot a higher second-day total. The exception was Carlsbad, which dropped five strokes from Monday and maintained sixth place over Eldorado.

The Lady Wildcats, meantime, chopped 11 strokes off their first-day total to finish at 388-377 — 765, overhauling Volcano Vista (385-402 — 787) for eighth place. They were four shots out of seventh and 10 away from sixth place.

"We played a lot better," Lady Cats coach Steve Speck said. "I was proud the girls didn't fold when they did hit bad shots."

Senior Ethan Peterson might feel a little like the Minnesota Vikings or Buffalo Bills after posting his third straight boys state runnerup finish. He tied with Las Cruces High's Davis Chung for second at 145 to finish two strokes behind Hobbs senior Kenneth Fadke, who successfully defended the title he won over Peterson last year in a playoff.

Fadke made a couple of difficult putts late to keep Peterson at bay. On the final hole, Peterson went for a long birdie hoping to possibly force a playoff, but just missed to the right.

Peterson shot 36-35 — 71 on Monday after coming in trailing Fadke by six shots, but the Cats' next-best score was an 82 by senior Turner Ham.

"I sure am proud of the seniors," Fullerton said of Peterson, Turner and Sam Bridgwater. "Their time and dedication, I can't express how much they've meant to the program."

After struggling on Monday, the Lady Cats got improved scores from four of their five players on Tuesday — led by junior Haley Berry (43-46 — 89 for a 182 total) and sophomore Victoria Fox, who went from a 109 to a round of 45-48 — 93. Clovis outscored all but the top three teams on Tuesday.

"Victoria did a great job," Speck said. "Yesterday she just got herself in trouble and she couldn't get out of it."

Sandia took the team title at 341-357 — 788, while first-day leader La Cueva ballooned to a 379 in the second round and finished fourth at 718.

Alamogordo's Kacey Dalpes struggled a bit on Tuesday, but still finished with a comfortable seven-stroke margin for medalist honors at 69-76 —145.

Class 5A

At New Mexico State G.C., Las Cruces

Boys

Team standings: 1. Hobbs 304-310 — 614; 2. Onate 303-326 — 629; 3. Rio Rancho Cleveland 315-320 — 635; 4. Clovis 307-329 — 636; 5. Las Cruces High 304-339 — 643; 6. Carlsbad 328-323 — 651; 7. Eldorado 329-333 — 662.

Top 6 individuals (all-state): 1. Kenneth Fadke, Hobbs 68-75 — 143; 2. (tie) Ethan Peterson, Clovis 74-71 — 145 and Davis Chung, Las Cruces High 69-76 — 145; 4. Isaac Merry, Onate 70-77 — 147; 5. Craig Garcia, Cleveland 74-75 — 149; 6. Josiah Guajardo, Volcano Vista 75-76 — 151.

Clovis results: Peterson 74-71 (36-35) — 145, Turner Ham 74-84 (42-42) — 158, Matt Justus 77-86 (42-44) — 163, Emilio Romero 82-88 (41-47) — 170, Sam Bridgwater 83-90 (45-45) — 173.

Girls

Team standings: 1. Sandia 341-357 — 698; 2. Rio Rancho 347-361 — 708; 3. Alamogordo 349-368 — 717; 4. La Cueva 339-379 — 718; 5. Eldorado 363-379 — 742; 6. Rio Rancho Cleveland 370-385 — 755; 7. Las Cruces High 380-381 — 761; 8. Clovis 388-377 — 765; 9. Volcano Vista 385-402 — 787; 10. Carlsbad 407-394 — 801; 11. Hobbs 394-413 — 807.

Top 6 individuals (all-state): 1. Kacey Dalpes, Alamogordo 69-76 — 145; 2. Dominique Galloway, Cleveland 74-78 — 152; 3. Maddison Schroetlin, Sandia 76-82 — 158; 4. (tie) Haylee Hornick, La Cueva 76-86 — 162 and Sarah Brown, Eldorado 82-80 — 162; 6. Sierra Campbell, Rio Rancho 78-86 — 164.

Clovis results: Haley Berry 93-89 (43-46) — 182, Kristin Bradley 92-101 (49-52) — 193, Heather Steinle 99-98 (49-49) — 197, Kelsey Wornell 104-97 (47-50) — 201, Victoria Fox 109-93 (45-48) — 202.