DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
McAllen Memorial’s boys golf team has persevered this semester without one of its key ingredients.
With star player Carlos Reyes ineligible since January because of personal reasons, coach Celso Gonzales has seen others step up. But he can only imagine what his Mustangs will look like once Reyes is back in the fold.
“You take a tournament like (last month’s) Border Olympics, where we were one of the top teams and it was close,” said Gonzales, whose Mustangs finished 11th at the 24-team tourney. “But I’m just missing that one player that’s going to be a big difference. The others have carried their weight, but when you throw in Carlos it’s about taking a 75 (average) instead of a 90 out there on the course.”
Gonzales said Reyes is the district’s best as far as average. He also said he expects Reyes to be eligible by the time district starts in early April.
“He’s just naturally talented, and a heck of a tennis player, too,” Gonzales said. “He just started playing serious golf about two years ago. It’s fun to watch him play.”
The Mustangs have been buoyed by the play of senior Taylor Kucia and his brother Trevor. Taylor is a late-comer to the sport who didn’t start playing until his freshman year, while Trevor started playing in middle school.
Trevor finished third at last weekend’s RGVGCA Class 6A Pre-Regionals tournament in San Antonio with a score of 157. Taylor finished four strokes behind, in sixth, with a 161.
They helped the Mustangs finish fourth overall as a team.
Senior Will Moore has also blossomed into a weapon for Memorial. The standout football player shot an 80 on the second day of the Border Olympics, a sign of his promising talent.
“I’m getting into his head how he hears about Trevor, Taylor, and Carlos, and I challenge him,” Gonzales said. “‘Why not Will Moore?’ He’s taken that to heart and he’s working hard. I knew he had the potential. He just had to believe in himself.”
YOUNG AND TALENTED
Sharyland High girls golf coach Yvette Vela said her team was affected significantly by the split with Sharyland Pioneer.
So much so that a freshman has emerged as a key contributor on a team loaded with stars, including the girls doubles team of Fernanda Garcia and Fernanda Armendariz, and mixed doubles talent Stephanie Falcon.
Jimena Guerra, a blossoming singles player, has turned heads as a rookie, and Vela is excited about her young player’s talent.
“My team got split pretty much right down the middle,” Vela said. “The freshmen coming are in are doing their best and getting that experience at the varsity level. We’re hoping to take a big qualifying team up to the regional tournament.”
With sophomore Garcia and Guerra, Vela has a nice foundation in re-establishing her team with different players while maintaining the same high standard.
“Jimena is doing very well, and we expect her to do very well at district,” Vela said. “She’s a strong player and she doesn’t give up easily. She fights for every point.”
RESULTS
The RGVGCA Pre-Regionals Class 6A golf tournaments were held last weekend.
San Antonio Churchill’s boys team (637) won the 17-team Pre-Regionals 6A tournament in San Antonio, followed by, in order, Brownsville Hanna (674), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (684), McAllen Memorial (701) and Mission Veterans Memorial (705). The Patriots’ Diego Hernandez was the highest Valley finisher with his second-place standing. He had a two-day score of 157. McAllen Memorial placed two individuals in the top 10 (Trevor Kucia, 3rd; Taylor Kucia, 6th) and Weslaco East’s Paul Meints finished ninth with a score of 164.
San Antonio Johnson’s girls team (693) won the 13-team girls tournament, followed by Brownsville Hanna (707), Brownsville Veterans Memorial (726), Los Fresnos (733) and Harlingen High (766). The highest upper or Mid Valley girls team finisher at the pre-regional tournament was Weslaco High (7th, 833). The Lady Panthers also had the highest upper or Mid-Valley individual finisher with Anika Hovda, who shot a 160 to finish tied for sixth. Mission High’s Leah Lerma finished ninth with a 168.