WASHINGTON CITY – Girls Region 9 golf opened up their season at Coral Canyon Golf Club yesterday. The 3A Region 9 has three new faces this year with the addition of Dixie High, Canyon View, and Pine View High Schools.
Desert Hills Thunder, 2011 Region 9 3A Utah State Champions, were up for the challenge. And just like last year they came ready to play. Desert Hills’ top three scores came in with a total of 122, beating second place Snow Canyon’s 139 by 17 strokes. Cedar rounded out the top three with a score of 144.
Thunder freshman Katie Perkins shot the best low round of the day with a one under 35. “I started off strong with a birdie on the first hole,” Perkins said. “I kept going till number four where I had a bogie, but I decided not to let that bother me.” Keeping her head high, “I was confident with everything. I hit a lot of fairways and most of the greens.”
Perkins said that she is excited to see how the rest of her team played, and is very happy to have all of the new schools join. Perkins is also looking forward to a great four years playing for Desert Hills and she confidently said that she wants golf to take her to Duke University when she graduates.
“We have another great team again this year, with new freshman Katie Perkins,” Desert Hills coach Jerry Dyer said. “We also have three of four returning sophomores along with our juniors and seniors; we really have great depth, with a lot of talent. All of our girls shot in the mid to low 40’s Dyer said.
As to the team to beat for Desert Hills, Dyer said Snow Canyon is always tough but he wasn’t sure about the new schools in the region.
Brooks Bergeson, third-year coach of Snow Canyon said, “We have a good team this year and we are looking forward to the new competition.”
Bergeson has four girls that came back from last season plus a new freshman who played in yesterday’s match.
“Our girls are great,” Bergeson said, “and they are playing very consistent golf. … It is just so much fun to be out here, the weather is perfect and the course is in great shape. We will have to let the girls get the kinks out and see how things go.”
New head coach for Hurricane, Lindsey Stucki, said, ”I was handed the job unexpectedly,” but said she hopes for good showing.
“We have five girls returning from last year,” Stucki said, “Lani LeBaron, is one of our top players. LeBaron hits the long ball and has been working on her short game over the off-season. We’re excited to see what she can do.” The Tigers’ top three scorers shot 152.
The rest of the field included: Pine View, who finished with a nine-hole total of 151; Hurricane, who were just edged out by one stroke behind Pine View, with a team score of 152; and Canyon View who shot a disappointing 162.
Other noteworthy players were: Thunder’s Sarah Folks, Pine View’s Bailey Callahan, and Hurricane’s LeBaron, who all shot a very respectable (41). Dixie Flyers’ Nicole Thomas came in with a (46).
Hurricane will be hosting next week’s tournament at the always-challenging Sky Mountain Golf Club. The public is welcome and encouraged to come out, get some exercise walking the course and quietly supporting their local high school girls’ golf teams. Tee off will be at 2 p.m.
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Copyright 2012 St. George News.