Santa Rosa’s girls, boys golf teams set for regionals

SANTA ROSA — After capturing the District 32-3A golf title for the third consecutive time, the Santa Rosa Lady Warriors are hoping that a string of positive performances will yield favorable results at the Region IV-3A tournament, which will be held at the Quail Creek Country Club in San Marcos.

The two-day tournament gets underway on Monday with the girls teeing off at 12:30 p.m. on Monday and 7 a.m. on Tuesday.

“We have had our and ups and downs this season,” said coach Hector Ayala “But When one or two girls might have a bad day, the other three will pick up the slack with Christa (Robledo) being our most consistent golfer.

“This season the girls are more confident. We lost two good seniors, but Christa, Megan (Gonzalez) and Desiree (Guerra) return from last year and the addition of another senior in Sulema Salinas, who did not play last year but had played the previous two years.

“Juliet Salce and Uriah Aldape made regionals as individuals last season and only two girls didn’t make regionals, but they will be counted on next year and I’m confident they will step up.”

This year the Lady Warriors took home first place at the Hidalgo tournament, second at the Grulla tournament and third at Brownsville tournaments, but with the talent on the team Coach Ayala is not surprised by the results the team has put up this season.

“I’m not surprised at all,” said Ayala. “These ladies work hard, push each other, and they always help each other when one is having a bad day. They know their bad day will come, so anther will have to help them on that day.”

BOYS: On the boys side, the team is eager to get past the regionals hump that has held the team back from state. Alex Ayala has had the most luck, but has fallen short a couple of strokes the past two seasons.

The boys regional tournament will also be held at the Quail Creek Country Club in San Marcos with tee time at 7 a.m. Monday morning and 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

“The boys have improved slowly,” said golf coach Johnny Cipriano. “Mario Bocanegra, AB Lozoya, Ryan Perez and Jay Guerra were all a part of the basketball team so their practice and actual tournament play have been limited. Alex Ayala has been steady this year and he has narrowly missed going to the state tournament the last two years, so we are hoping this is the year.

“We have been working on some knockdown shots and his short game the last two weeks because we feel that’s what we are going to need to get him to state.”