The Mason High School golf program reigns supreme at the Class 2A Region IV Championships again.
Both the Punchers and the Cowgirls returned as regional champions in the team standings after playing at the Lozano Golf Course in Corpus Christi.
The Cowgirls scored a 333-354--687 during the two-day tournament April 16-17. They were paced by junior Ainsley Burns, who shot a 74-74--148 to be the first individual medalist and sophomore Ruby Hills, who scored an 83-86--169 to finish as the third individual medalist. Sophomore Bronwyn Underwood shot a 7895--173 for fifth and a new personal best highlighted by a hole-in-one and junior Anna Marie Whitworth scored a 98-99--197 for ninth to round out the top 10. Sophomore Caitlin McCrea scored a 110-101--211.
'That's not something that happens every day,' head coach Kade Burns said of Underwood's hole-in-one. 'It's hard to follow a personal best with another personal best.'
He also pointed out that daughter Ainsley 'hit the ball to the greens as well as I've seen her. She won the individual medal by 17 strokes.
That's very good play.'
As for the team scores, Burns said the Cowgirls believe they can score better.
'I felt like we played pretty well,' he said. 'I didn't feel like we played the second day as well by our standards. We needed to go play and hit great shots. Our scores shot up in the 350s; that's one of the higher rounds we've shot all year. We let a couple of holes get to us.'
Mason II was sixth overall thanks to shooting a 436424--860. Sophomore Sophia Jordan led with a 101-104205 followed by freshman Grace Klaerner with a 111103--214, freshman Brynlee Cawley shot a 113-105--218, sophomore Kydie Kimbriel scored a 116-112--228, and freshman Cameron Asbill shot a 111-119--230.
'Our second team played pretty well,' the coach said. 'We were pretty close to getting in the top four. We had several who shot their best rounds of the year on a difficult course.'
The Punchers won the tournament by scoring a 322320--642 during the two-day event April 14-15.
'I think we got off to a pretty good start,' the coach said. 'They showed a level of confidence. I don't think we finished the rounds strong. I really think we could have been in the 315-316 range. You have to be able to finish the rounds off.'
Junior Cade Dudney led with a 78-74--152 followed by junior Kalen Langehennig with an 85-75--157, sophomore Grant Nobles shot an 80-87--167, and junior Ray Row scored a 91-93--184.
Dudney and Nobles were the only Punchers with regional experience.
The coach pointed out finishing is one of the most difficult challenges in all of sports, especially in this one where a round may last for hours and golfers must walk from hole to hole.
'The wind is blowing,' he said. 'We have to do a better job of getting in and finishing strong.'
He noted that athletes will 'make important what the coach makes important,' adding that this sport doesn't have timeouts or a halftime to allow staffs and athletes a chance to regroup.
'In any sport, the strong person will climb to the top,' he said. 'There's a lot of things going into each of the rounds. Even after having a new (personal best), competitors almost always feel like they can play better. It's being able to be mentally strong to get it in the hole and being able to make shots toward the end. We want to start the round well and finish well.
District rival San Saba was third overall and will join the Punchers at the state tournament.
Also advancing to the state meet is individual defending champion Walt Thompson, Goldthwaite sophomore, who scored a 75-75--150 to finish as the second individual medalist.
'Our skill level is good enough to compete at a very high level,' Burns said. 'That gives us a better chance to be successful. The mental aspect and the ability to finish what you start – you emphasize it. We have to continue to cut our own scores. It's not one person or two people, we don't have to play our best of the year. We need to go play well. We have to compete and handle the pressure.'
The girls state tournament is April 28-29 and the boys state tournament is May 5-6. Both tournaments are at Lions Municipal Golf Course, 2901 Enfield Road in Austin.
