Submitted by Lopez Lobos Golf coach Richard Têtu

Seven students of the Lopez Lobos Golf Team went to the state tournament at Hangman Valley: Tobin Arden, Kate Combs, Anah-Kate Drahn, Siri Dye, Shayna Gruenwald, Reese Hamilton and Nora Zapalac. Women played in a field narrowed to 80 competitors and men to a field of 40 after league, district or bidistrict tournaments.

Four Lopezians made it to the second day, after the field was cut in half: Drahn took 26th, Zapalac 31st and Dye 34th among the women; among the men, Arden took fifth.

Among women, only nine out of 44 schools who qualified for the state tournament were ranked. Lopez took ninth. Remember that in golf, our Lady Lobos compete not just with “B” schools but also with “BB” and “A” schools; men also face tougher competition as they must play against both “B” and “BB” schools. With Pomeroy, the Lopez women were the only “B” team to place, with six “A” schools and one “BB.” You can now see more clearly why they deserve to be proud. You may also note that four of the nine teams placing compete in our bidistrict tournament.

While playing so well, our women are State Academic Champions among “B” schools, and both the men and the women got an Outstanding Scholastic Award.

In highlights of the first day, Gruenwald played 11 strokes better on her second nine, while Combs and Hamilton also improved through the round and never quit playing hard. On the second day, Dye shot 12 strokes better on the second nine, Drahn played 7 pars on the last ten holes and shot her best 18 holes score ever, just like Zapalac. Arden had the second best round of the second day, thanks to three birdies and an eagle on hole No. 5 from 155 yards out. There was a sweet conclusion to the tournament as all three women, playing in consecutive threesomes, finished the last hole with pars.