DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Mission High freshman Mia Lerma started playing golf not long ago, picking up the sport when she was 9-years-old. Though she found any sport she played to be fun, golf engaged her.
“I spent almost all my summers on it,” Lerma said. “It was interesting to me, having to do it all by yourself. I knew whatever I accomplished was because of what I was able to do.”
And what she’s been able to do is win, and win a lot in a short amount of time. Lerma added “district champion” to her résumé on Tuesday morning, shooting a 77 to cap a two-day score of 154 and win the District 30-6A girls individual title at Howling Trails Golf Course.
Lerma shot two strokes better than she did during Monday’s first round. And coach Danny Castillo said she even could have done, and eventually will do, better.
“I knew she had a lot of talent, and we just had to mold her,” Castillo said. “We still have to mold her even more. Even though she shot 79 and 77 these two days, she can actually do even better. She’s made some mistakes, and with a year or two she’ll really be a state contender.”
Lerma helped win the Lady Eagles’ first district golf team title since “10-12 years ago,” according to Castillo. Her older sister Leah, a junior, finished second with a two-day score of 161.
Mission High and La Joy Palmview advance to next week’s Class 6A regionals as teams. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln’s Karla Martinez and McAllen Memorial’s Adriana Gonzalez also qualified for regionals.
The top two teams and top two players not on the top two teams advance to regionals next week in San Antonio.
“It feels amazing,” Castillo said. “We’ve finished runner-up several times and it doesn’t feel good to be the bridesmaid that often, so finally winning it feels good, especially with such a young group. Everyone’s coming back next year.”
Lerma said she shot short in her short game Monday, so she focused more on getting on the green and getting close for putt-ins Tuesday. The strategy worked.
She said there was not a hole that posed a challenge for her.
“I was more nervous, but I was more aggressive,” Lerma said. “I knew I had to play harder to stay in the lead. I felt more comfortable knowing that I didn’t have to play perfect to win. I just had to play my best and I’d be OK.”
Lerma said she was “thrilled” to win, though the nerves remained.
“It’s exciting,” said Lerma, who also plays softball and volleyball for the Eagles. “But it’s nervous knowing people will expect more out of me. But just to have the opportunity to be the best I can right now, that’s the most exciting part about it.”
McAllen Memorial’s boys team defended its district title, largely in part because of stellar performances from its current No. 1 and No. 2 golfers.
With No. 1 golfer Carlos Reyes, last year’s district champion, out with a broken elbow, Trevor Kucia and C.W. Phillips stepped up.
Kucia shot a two-day score of 145 to win the individual boys championship, just one stroke better than teammate Phillips.
“I heard going into my last couple holes, he was right behind me,” Kucia said of his teammate. “I had a lot of pressure. My last two holes, I went birdie and birdie to shoot a 72, and he had a chip-in to tie but he missed by a foot. It was fun. It’s a friendly competition between us and we’re always looking to test ourselves.”
It was an outstanding tournament for Kucia, who shot a 73 on Monday. Kucia said he hit more fairways, more greens, on Tuesday and gave himself more opportunities for birdie.
Phillips shot a 70 on Tuesday, six strokes better than he did Monday.
“When my No. 1 and No. 2 boys fight for medalist … they’re champions,” Mustangs boys coach Celso Gonzales said. “I hate to see one win and one lose, but in my eyes they’re champions and they all contribute to that one big team trophy, and that’s what it’s all about.
“We didn’t know what our expectations were, but I’ve never been prouder. These boys came through. Of this team, we have one junior and four sophomores. We’re ready. I told them next season starts this weekend, and good things are going to happen.”
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District 30-6A Tournament Meet
April 5, 2016
Howling Trails Golf Course
Second Round
Par = 72
Boys
Team Scores
1. McAllen Memorial ‘1’, 318-316-634
2. McAllen High, 331-336-667
3. La Joya Palmview, 351-343-694
4. La Joya High, 409-411-820
5. McAllen Memorial ‘2’, 421-408-829
6. La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 416-405-831
7. Mission High, 442-404-846
Individual Scores
1. Trevor Kucia, McAllen Memorial, 73-72-145
2. C.W. Phillips, McAllen Memorial, 76-70-146
3. Cristian Zuniga, La Joya Palmview, 80-76-156
4. Carlos Cano, McAllen High, 82-80-162
5. Lucas Abbott, McAllen High, 80-83-163
6. Colton Henderson, McAllen Memorial, 81-88-169
7. Vinny Zamora, McAllen High, 81-89-170
8. Tyler Pena, McAllen High, 88-84-172
9. Ross Gonzales, McAllen Memorial, 88-86-174
10. Joseph Lopez, La Joya Palmview, 91-85-176
Girls
Team Scores
1. Mission High ‘1’, 366-346-712
2. La Joya Palmview, 376-384-760
3. McAllen Memorial, 421-409-830
4. McAllen High, 457-436-893
5. La Joya High, 471-451-926
6. Misison High ‘2’, 471-491-962
Individual Scores
1. Mia Lerma, Mission High, 79-77-154
2. Leah Lerma, Mission High, 84-77-161
3. Briana Silerio, La Joya Palmview, 79-90-169
4. Caroline Cerda, La Joya Palmview, 94-83-177
T-5. Michelle Raya, La Joya Palmview, 89-92-181
T-5. Karla Martinez, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, 93-88-181
7. Adriana Gonzalez, McAllen Memorial, 98-89-187
8. Silvia Barrientos, Mission High, 95-94-189
9. Alexis Gutierrez, McAllen High, 96-94-190
10. Miranda Guerrero, McAllen Memorial, 101-100-201