STAFF REPORTS
Metro-area teams Hanna and Brownsville Veterans Memorial finished strong on the final day of the Class 6A girls golf regional at Brackenridge Park Golf Course in San Antonio.
The Lady Golden Eagles and Lady Chargers each shot better Thursday, improving their scores from Wednesday’s first round. Hanna finished seven strokes better with 348 after opening with a 356 for a 704 and a fifth-place finish. Brownsville Veterans improved 20 strokes, shooting a 349 after a 369 for a 718 and an eighth-place finish.
Hannah Greer of Harlingen High followed up an opening day 75 with a 76 for a 151 to place third in the individual standings and advance to the state tournament April 27 and 28 at the University of Texas Golf Club in Austin. Teammate Morgan McClaugherty shot 156 (76-80) during the two-day regional tournament.
Alejandra Rodriguez led the Eagles with a 76. Julie Lucio had 77 and was followed by Nadia Anzaldua (95), Kimberly Garcia (100) and Destiny Lopez (105).
“We did a shotgun start (Thursday), but we finished without any rain. They did well,” Hanna coach Adrian Garcia said.
Garcia said neither Lucio nor Rodriguez, his top two players, played as well as they expected.
“Both came in without their ‘A’ games,” he said. “But it’s hard to go against the big boys and girls (in the regional tournament).”
But both players finished the day strong. Lucio played that last five holes at 1-under par and Rodriguez nearly holed out from 130 yards on her final hole when the ball flew into the cup and came back out.
“It was a good week,” Garcia said. “We’ll take a couple of days off and then get ready for next year.”
The Lady Chargers were led by Paola Fernandez, who shot a 80 on the second day, 13 stokes better than a first-day 93. Ceci Garza improved as well, shooting 87 after a 103 on Wednesday. Marla Zarate had 90 and was followed by Sophia Fernandez (92), and Andrea Paredes (93).
“I think the girls just played with a little more confidence today,” Brownsville Veterans coach Jose Zarate said. “They felt more comfortable on the course, they hit more fairways. They putted better today.”
The eighth-place finish is an improvement from the 10th-place finish a couple years ago. Zarate returns all his golfers next season.
“It’s something to look forward to,” he said. “We need to keep working hard and improving our scores. It was good, a successful year. It makes you set new goals and work hard for them.”