A Rockdale Lady Tiger golf team that finished second in the state last year faces many challenges in 2019.
First, the team lost its top golfer Lyndy Laurrell to graduation. Laurrell, who now plays at Stephen F. Austin, won the 3A golf championship title.
Second, RHS faces a tougher district with biennial realignment. The Lady Tigers are now in District 19-3A with county rival Cameron Yoe.
The Lady Yoemen finished second behind RHS at district and regionals last season before placing seventh at the state tournament.
Cameron has four of their five golfers returning: Jazmin Vaculin, who placed 24th, at last year’s state tournament, Pressley Berry, 40th, Emily Graham, 42nd and Carley Tucker, who placed 49th.
“We can get back to state,” said Ethan Noel, RHS head golf coach. “But it will definitely be a challenge going up against (Cameron).
“McGregor is also in our district now, and they have a couple of good golfers I remember from region. They also had a girl that finished second at state last year. The top two teams qualify from each district, so it will be interesting,” he said.
The Lady Tigers have four golfers returning from the team that finished second at the 2018 Class 3A UIL Girls State Tournament.
Senior Eve King, who placed 14th last year at state and juniors Whitley Boyd and Payton Miller, who were 53rd and 57th respectively, are also returning from the state-qualifying team.
Senior Gracie Burns is coming back for Rockdale. She was the fifth place finisher for the Lady Tigers at the District 20-3A Tournament last season, but was unavailable for regionals and the state tourney.
“Eve is definitely our top player,” Noel said. “And she played her best round of the season at the first day of the state tournament last year, so I can see her playing well.
“A lot of the golfers that finished in front of her graduated too, so she has a chance to finish pretty high this year.”
King had the second highest score at state for Rockdale with a score of 85-98-183. Boyd shot 107-110-217 and Miller shot a 107-113-220.
“It’s been a challenge while coaching basketball,” said Ethan Noel, RHS head golf coach. “But a lot of our kids have been at the course before school, after school or during their off period to get some practice in. So we’re making it work, and things have gone well.
“We have four girls coming back,” Noel said. “And were adding Cassidy Smith, whose never played golf before this season.”
The Lady Tigers open the season on Friday and Saturday at the Pecan Lakes Golf Course in Navasota. Tee-time is 8 a.m. both days.
Tigers – For the Tiger golf team, Noel is optimistic about this season after their six-place finish at the 2018 Class 3A UIL Boys State Tournament.
“I think this team has a really good chance to make state,” Noel said. “We have three boys returning and Doss Hasselbach, who was a good sixth player for us will be playing.
“His little brother Jake is also coming up after a good junior high career,” he said.
Returning for RHS is Brady Nelson, who shot 79-83-162 at state with a 25th place finish. Ross Loth shot 90-84-174 for 38th and Brayden Burns shot 96-90-186, finishing 5oth at the state tournament last season.
Rockdale will likely battle it out with Cameron this year, who placed 10th at state and have all five members teeing up this season. Unlike the girls, the bottom three Yoemen finished below Burns, and their top player Nikolas Keratsopoulos, finished 29th at the tournament.
The Tigers also open the season at the Pecan Lakes Golf Course in Navasota and tee off at 8 a.m, on Friday and Saturday.
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