Tee time

Eagles in the hunt for championship title

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The Boulder City High School golfers are ready to make a statement at the 2006 Class 3A state championship.

"We're young and strong this year," coach Bob Northridge said. "We only have two seniors on the team, but lots of good young players. From what we've done at practice and our first matches of the season, we're ready to contend for the divisional and state titles in 2006."

The Eagles finished third in the division last year and were in second place by three strokes in 2004. Boulder City was right in the hunt for the state championship last year, and missed out by six strokes.

"We have the potential to surprise a lot of people this season," Northridge said. "We just need to improve, stay healthy, and have the right frame of mind. We just can't show up for our matches, and need to do the right things every time we compete."

The Virgin Valley Bulldogs have been the defending division champions for the last two years. However, they lost several golfers to graduation last year, and may be down in the division this season.

This may be the opening the Boulder City team needs to claim the division and state titles.

"We should be able to win every match this year," senior Chris Farrelly said. "We have the talent on our team, and we shouldn't have any problem to keep on rolling like we are."

The Faith Lutheran Crusaders and the Pahrump Valley Trojans have improved this year and look to battle against the Eagles in every divisional contest.

Boulder City has already won two divisional matches this season.

"The strength of our team this year is the consistency of our top players," Farrelly said. "Any one of us could take first in each match, and we push each other to play our best. We worked hard in the offseason and played a lot of golf to get ready for this year. We competed in leagues and tournaments throughout the summer."

The top four golfers for the Eagles this year are Farrelly, juniors Dusty Craddock and Spencer Montgomery, and freshman Ryan Henderson. Farrelly, Craddock and Montgomery already have received medals in divisional and non-league matches this season.

"We are eight or nine golfers deep this season," Northridge said. "We play six golfers, and the top five scores count for the team. From the five to nine spots, we can interchange golfers at any given time. Junior Greg Lee has improved his play this year, and may fill in that fifth spot."

Farrelly shot a hole-in-one in November at night on the fourth hole at the Boulder City Municipal Golf Course. It was witnessed by Craddock, Montgomery and Henderson and was Farrelly's second hole-in-one.

"It felt awesome to hit my second hole-in-one," he said. "It feels great every time you hit one.

"I'm hoping to win every time I step up to that first tee, and I feel I can win every match I compete in."

Farrelly hopes to attend Southwest Oregon Junior College after graduation and receive a scholarship to play on the golf team there. He plans to major in business management or golf management.

The other golfers playing for the 2006 Eagles are senior Josh Walker, juniors Kurt Able and John Axelson, sophomores Shaun Bean, Branden Faircloth, Casey Knutson and Matthew Mahaydik, and freshmen Ryan Roundtree and Nicholas Stevens.

The assistant coaches again this year are James Mackley and William Bowie.

"To be successful we need to continue to work hard," Northridge said. "Our biggest problem is complacency. The boys know they're good, and they don't want to practice as hard as they did during the summer. Hopefully, I've harped on it enough, and they will get it in gear."

Boulder City will be hosting the divisional tournament this year at the Boulder City Municipal Golf Course on May 11.

The team has a match against Basic at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Black Mountain Country Club and an important division match at the Casa Blanca Golf Course in Mesquite at 11 a.m. on Thursday. The next home match is set for Monday against Palo Verde at the Boulder Creek Golf Course.

"I just hope we can win the state championship," Farrelly said. "I would love to see Dusty, Spencer and myself finish one, two and three at the divisional playoffs and the state tournament. That's our goal, and I think we can do it. We're good enough."

Jim Konst is a local freelance writer. Send story ideas and comments to him at jkonst54@aol.com.