McALLEN — Esteban Gonzalez shot a 2-over-par 74 (38-36) to help the McAllen Memorial golf team finish second after the first day of the Region IV-5A golf tournament at Champion Lakes Golf Course.
The Mustangs are 10 strokes behind Smithson Valley, which shot 306 as a team. Gonzalez paced Memorial, Dylan Villarreal fired an 80 and Daniel Garza and Ryan Avila each tallied 81s for the Mustangs.
The top three teams and top two individuals not on those teams advance to the state tournament. Smithson Valley’s Navy team shot a 316 to pace all teams after the first day. Three Rangers shot in the 70s, led by Ryan Griff’s 71 and a pair of 77s from Cole Cantu and Rowan Rankin.
Sharyland High is tied for fourth, eight strokes behind third-place Gregory Portland and nine behind second-place Memorial.
Octavio Cantu penciled in a Valley-leading par-72 for the Rattlers, placing him third after the first day and two strokes behind Boerne Champion with a 2-under 70. Sharyland teammates Lorenzo Garza added an 83, and Nico Treviño and Pablo Treviño each shot 85.
Brownsville Veterans Memorial sits in ninth place with a 341. Alejandro Ramirez scored a 78 and Christian Ramirez came in with an 80 to lead Brownsville Vets. Harlingen South (356) was 11th, La Joya Palmview (363) was 13th and Mission Veterans (376) ended the day 15th.
Sharyland Pioneer’s Gabriel Gonzalez, who won the District 31-5A tournament to advance to the regional round, is ninth with a 77 and third among individual golfers not connected to a team at the event. He is two strokes behind the second-place individual golfer, Jonathan Kim of Cedar Park.
Gonzalez finished the day with 12 pars, second most of all golfers, a pair of birdies and four bogeys. Hayden Hardwick and Trey Cates each converted six birdies, but Hardwick had six bogeys, including a double bogey, while Cates had three bogeys and one double. Cates finished with a 71 for Gregory-Portland and Hardwick, also of G-P, is tied with Gonzalez and Kim.
“I was hitting my tee shots well but not my approach shots,” Gonzalez said. “I didn’t leave myself too many birdie attempts. It was tough. Hopefully something will change (tody), or it will be difficult for us.”
Sixteen teams are competing for a shot to advance to the state tournament. Final round play begins at 8 a.m. today at Champion Lakes.