2016 Girls Golf Capsules
BISHOP GORMAN
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Jim Stanfill, fifth season
Returning letter winners: Three
Top athletes: Hunter Pate (Jr.), Danielle Oberlander (Sr.), Rose Baral (So.)
Outlook: It’s all a matter of perspective.
The Gaels return only three letter winners, but those three — Pate (second), Oberlander (eighth) and Baral (10th) — all finished in the top 10 of last year’s Division I state meet.
“Combining four freshmen with three returning letter winners gives us a great chance to get back to state and build for the future,” Stanfill said.
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BONANZA
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Cheryl Speer, 16th season
Returning letter winners: One
Top athletes: Samantha Torres (Sr.)
Outlook: Torres, who qualified for the Sunset Region tournament last year, is the lone returning letter winner for the Bengals, who hope to improve throughout the season.
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BOULDER CITY
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Andy Schaper, third season
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Lani Potter (Jr.), Madisan Walker (So.), Ryann Reese (So.), Holly Piper (Sr.), Lauryn Norris (Sr.)
Outlook: Potter, who averaged 77 strokes per 18 holes last year, finished second in the Division I-A state tournament.
Walker was a first-team All-Sunrise League honoree.
“The team has worked hard to improve over the offseason,” Schaper said. “It is the girls’ goal to be a serious contender for the 3A state team title this year.
“With a second-place finish last year, Lani Potter is ready for another great year and to win the state tournament as an individual.”
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CENTENNIAL
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Charles Cerrone, 12th season
Returning letter winners: Four
Top athletes: Nikki August (Sr.), Hailey Stevenson (Fr.), Taylor Scrutchens (Jr.), Jade Magana (So.), Gabrielle Sundberg (Sr.), Anna Fudenberg (Fr.)
Outlook: The Bulldogs return four letter winners and have a couple of promising freshmen.
Cerrone said Stevenson could average in the high 70s or low 80s and August, Scrutchens and Magana all could average in the low-to-mid 80s.
“We have good senior leadership this year, and hopefully we continue to develop and qualify for regionals,” Cerrone said.
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CHAPARRAL
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Chris Brody, second season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Sierra Shaw (Sr.), Jaqueline Arguelles-Perez (Jr.)
Outlook: The Cowboys return two letter winners and hope to show improvement.
“Chaparral is young and building its golf program,” Brody said. “Chaparral is looking to compete individually as well as in team competition. We’re looking forward to a great season.”
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CIMARRON-MEMORIAL
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: David Fields, fourth season
Returning letter winners: Zero
Top athletes: Katelyn Smith (Fr.)
Outlook: The Spartans are starting from scratch with no letter winners back.
“This is a brand new team with little experience,” Fields said. “I look forward to watching this team work hard and improve while competing in league play. This team has some talent, and I can’t wait to see what they can become.”
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CORONADO
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Joe Sawaia, 16th season
Returning letter winners: Seven
Top athletes: Sami Penor (Jr.), Victoria Estrada (So.), Ashley Lung (Sr.), Gabby DeNunzio (Jr.)
Outlook: The winners of the last two Division I state titles, the Cougars may be the team to beat again this year.
Estrada (fourth), Penor (sixth) and Lung (seventh) all finished in the top seven of last year’s state tournament.
With seven letter winners back, Sawaia’s biggest problem may be figuring out which six to put in his lineup on a given day.
“We look to defend our state title,” Sawaia said.
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DURANGO
League: Class 4A Southwest League
Head coach: Gigi McCombe, first season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Jasmin Marayonk (Sr.), Skylar Melvin (So.)
Outlook: The Trailblazers are hoping to improve throughout the season.
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FAITH LUTHERAN
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Mark Cheney, 17th season
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Sydney Smith (Jr.), Cameron Griffin (So.)
Outlook: The Crusaders won four consecutive Division I-A state tournaments, but a change in classifications sends them back to the big-school division.
Faith Lutheran was the state runner-up in Class 4A in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Smith won the I-A individual crown last season and averaged 74.2 strokes per 18 holes. Griffin (83.3 average) also returns as part of a group of five letter winners.
“The Crusaders will have a new look and a new division this year,” Cheney said. “We’re going to embrace the challenge and pursue excellence on a daily basis.”
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FOOTHILL
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Richard Salemme, third season
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Katie Schlichenmayer (Jr.), Maci Hensely (Sr.), Emily Lee (Jr.), Zoe McCollum (Jr.), Tomi Luke (Sr.)
Outlook: Schlichenmayer averaged 89.5 strokes per 18 holes last year, and Hensely, Lee, McCollum and Luke all averaged better than 97.
“Overall the team looks very good this year with a strong chance to go to the region tournament and hopefully move on to the state tournament,” Salemme said.
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GREEN VALLEY
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Greg Murphy, 12th season
Returning letter winners: Seven
Top athletes: Kat Kares (Sr.), Caroline Thomas (Sr.), Kelsey Kares (So.)
Outlook: The Gators bring back seven letter winners, including a first-team All-Sunrise Region honoree in Kat Kares.
Thomas and Kelsey Kares both earned second-team all-region honors.
“We’re looking to compete for a division championship and qualify for the state championship,” Murphy said.
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LAS VEGAS
League: Class 4A Northeast League
Head coach: Sam Thomas, fourth season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Falynn Dunkelberger (Sr.), Delina Amezquita (So.)
Outlook: Only two letter winners return for the Wildcats, who are hoping to improve throughout the season.
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LEGACY
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Jeremy Thornton, 11th season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Haley Pedersen (Sr.), Kennedy Ahumada (Jr.)
Outlook: The Longhorns return two letter winners and hope to improve throughout the season.
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MOUNTAIN VIEW
League: Class 2A Southern League
Head coach: Aaron Horita, sixth season
Returning letter winners: One
Top athletes: Kristine Horita (Sr.)
Outlook: Kristine Horita has her sights set on a top showing in the Class 2A state meet.
“As a senior, Kristine is looking to bring it all together for a fun and memorable year,” Aaron Horita said.
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PAHRUMP VALLEY
League: Class 3A Sunset League
Head coach: Bob Hopkins, third season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Krista Toomer (Sr.), Makalea Petrie (So.)
Outlook: Petrie qualified for the Division I-A state meet last year, and is one of two returning letter winners for the Trojans.
“We’re young,” Hopkins said. “We hope to be competitive in our new league.”
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PALO VERDE
League: Class 4A Northwest League
Head coach: Todd Steffenhagen, sixth season
Returning letter winners: Six
Top athletes: Annick Haczkiewicz (Jr.), Rebecca Oertel (Jr.)
Outlook: Haczkiewicz won last year’s Division I state championship, and Oertel finished 12th while playing at Bonanza. Her transfer to Palo Verde makes the Panthers stronger.
“We should be in contention for a region championship,” Steffenhagen said. “It’s an experienced team that returns six letter winners.”
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SILVERADO
League: Class 4A Southeast League
Head coach: Jerry Oliver, second season
Returning letter winners: One
Top athletes: Alexis Nordlinder (So.)
Outlook: Nordlinder qualified for the Sunrise Region meet last year and will lead a Skyhawk squad that finally has numbers.
“This is the first time in three years that we will have enough girls to compete as a team,” Oliver said. “We have one returner and five girls who are new to golf. Our goal is to teach these girls how to play to the best of our ability and to build toward the future.”
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TECH
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Kirk Grimm, third season
Returning letter winners: Five
Top athletes: Scout Pope (Jr.), Cynthia Krueger (Sr.)
Outlook: The Roadrunners have the potential to be one of the more improved teams in Class 3A as five letter winners return.
“We hope to improve upon our team score and in the postseason,” Grimm said.
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VALLEY
League: Class 4A Northeast League
Head coach: Steven Flasza, second year
Returning letter winners: One
Top athletes: Eileena Tan (Jr.), Maylee Tan (Fr.)
Outlook: The Vikings are focused on individual improvement this season.
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VIRGIN VALLEY
League: Class 3A Sunrise League
Head coach: Chimane Creer, second season
Returning letter winners: Two
Top athletes: Eileen Navarro (Sr.), Kitana Lopez (Jr)
Outlook: Navarro averaged 105 strokes per 18 holes last year, and returns along with Lopez (110 average).
“With these two girls returning, we are hoping to get to the playoffs this year,” Creer said. “They have put in a lot of time during the summer, and things are looking very good. We also are hoping to get some more girls interested who want to play.”
